Oslo kommune

Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capitals, and its history goes back to 1000 years ago, when the first settlements were built at the inlet of the Oslo fjord.After the Great Fire that destroyed the city in 1624, the Danish King Christian IV, decided to rebuild the city in brick and stone, and named it Christiania. Three hundred years later, in 1925, the citizens decided to rename their city Oslo.Oslo is a pleasant city with about 600 000 inhabitants . The city is characterized by a mix of old and new architecture, parks, hills, museums, monuments, lakes, forests and the fjord. It is a vibrant city, excellent for shopping, cultural and sports activities. Oslo has a wide range of good restaurants and a lively nightlife.The city has become an attractive tourist- and conference city, with a large selection of excellent hotels and congress venues.Geography:The geographical area of Oslo is 450 km2, and only 1/3 of the area is developed. The city centre is surrounded by woods, lakes and 40 islands in the fjord.Climate : Average mean temperatures in:November-March: -3 CApril-May: 8 CJun-Jul-Aug: 16 CSep-Oct: 8 CHours of sunshine per month in Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep: 240 hrsPopulation : 599 230 (1.1.2011)Employment : 360 000 people have Oslo as their place of work. The City of Oslo employs approximately 43  000 people.Business and Industry :Shipping industryInformation technology, telecommunications and multimediaOffshore and engineering activitiesBiotechnology and pharmaceuticals