Norwegian literature is travelling more than ever before. Between 2004 and 2018, NORLA has contributed funding towards the translation of close to 5,200 books, into no fewer than 65 languages, making Norwegian one of the 17 most translated languages.
The book has a strong position in Norway. As much as 88 % of the population read at least one book per year, with an overall average of 15 books read per person per year. Reading is stimulated through a range of promotional initiatives, and 2019 has been declared National Book Year. With only 5,3 million people speaking Norwegian, it is especially important that the literary field remains strong and active.
The breadth, quality, and proliferation of Norwegian literature in Norway and internationally is founded on our unique literary system: fixed book prices, a scheme for the purchase of new books, VAT exemption on printed books, and collective agreements between rightsholders.
In its written form, the Norwegian language has two official standards: Bokmål and Nynorsk. There are also a number of Sámi languages, with three main dialects: Northern, Lule and Southern Sámi.