Next, let's continue our journey a little bit higher in elevation.
Our second stop, the mountains:
One of Norway’s most striking features is its mountains. While they are beautiful to visit, mountain terrain has allowed people to live in these extreme places for centuries. One important feature is fertile farmlands in the valleys, which means the soil is healthy for growing crops and raising animals. Also, billions of gallons of freshwater exist in Norway’s lakes, streams and glaciers. The rivers and waterfalls of the mountains make hydroelectric power possible. Hydroelectric power plants use the force from flowing water to generate electricity for local communities. About 88% of Norway’s power comes from hydropower in an average year.
Should we go check out that vast expanse of trees in the distance?
Our second-to-last stop, the forest:
While it is not as common to live in the forest as it is to live in the mountains or on the coast, many people still have homes in the Norwegian woods. Even more people have cabins (hytter), which they visit for ski trips in the winter or relaxing in nature in the summer. One cabin I visited in the forest for a ski trip was surrounded by beautiful, towering trees. There was no running water or electricity, so we had to bring all our own water and chop our own wood to burn in the stove.
