On an international scale, Oslo is a pretty small capital but, with just over 500,000 people, it's Norway's biggest city by far. More than 10% of the country's total population lives here; if we count people in the entire Oslofjord area in the summertime, it amounts to one third of the population in Norway. What makes Oslo unique is its location. The Oslofjord links the city with the sea to the south. In the other three directions you find mountains, lakes and forests within easy reach from the city center. This means that wherever you are in Oslo you have natural beauty just around the corner. In the winter, you can go from the shopping areas downtown to the ski slopes in just 20 minutes. The summers offer even more opportunities as both Marka and the Oslofjord with its islands are popular destinations for the people of Oslo and its many visitors. Norway has a population of just over 41/2 million people and has one of the lowest population densities in Europe with 12 people per square km. The Oslofjord area is home to nearly one third of the nation's population if you count all the summer residents. Bergen is the second-biggest city in Norway with 230,000 people. Trondheim comes in third with 140,000.
