2000-1000 BC Early neolithic and Bronze Age people leave numerous rock carvings throughout Scandinavia.

AD 787 Viking expansion begins with increased expeditions to Britain and northern Europe.

870 Vikings settle in Iceland.

1000 Christianity is introduced to Norway; Lief Eriksson reaches the coast of Labrador.

circa 1300 Oslo becomes capital of Norway.

1350 The Black Death kills over half of Norway's population.

1397 Union of the Three Crowns of Denmark, Sweden and Norway signed at Kalmar.

1536 Norway is reduced to a “province” of Denmark and remains so for nearly 300 years.

1814 The country is forced into union with Sweden.

1905 Prince Carl of Denmark is invited to become king of an independent Norway.

1914-18 Norway remains neutral during World War I.

1925 City of Christiana reverts to its original name of Oslo.

1940 Invasion of Norway by Germany, in spite of Norway's declaration of neutrality.

1945 German troops surrender; Norway becomes one of the founders of the United Nations.

1949 Norway becomes a founding member of NATO.

1970s Oil and gas extraction from Norwegian sector of North Sea boosts Norway's economy.

1994 In a referendum, Norwegians reject membership in the European Union.

2000 Oslo celebrates its 1,000th anniversary.