2004 in Norway

Incumbents

• Monarch: Harald V
• Regent: Haakon: from 25 November 2003 to 12 April 2004
• Prime Minister: Kjell Magne Bondevik

Events

January

• 1 January – Innovation Norway is established, replacing four Norwegian governmental organisations.
• 19 January – The freighter MS Rocknes capsizes in Vatlestraumen. 18 people die.

March

• 26 March – Norsk Hydro's fertilizer business was spun off as a separately stock-listed company under the name of Yara International.
• 4 April – NOKAS robbery: the NOKAS teller central in Stavanger was robbed. The outcome of the robbery was approximately NOK 57,4 million, making it the largest robbery in Norwegian history. A policeman was shot and killed during the robbery.

June

• 15 June – The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training is created.
• 20 June – The first edition of Skolelinux is released.

July

• July – Leona Johansson and Tommy Hol Ellingsen, the founders of environmental organization Fuck for Forest, had intercourse on stage at the Quart Festival during the performance by Kristopher Schau and his band, The Cumshots to raise awareness for the deforestation issue, resulting in a fine for the organization.

August

• 22 August – Armed robbers steal Edvard Munch's The Scream, Madonna, and other paintings from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway.

December

• 26 December – 84 Norwegian people are among thousands of people killed by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, including Norwegian jazz musician Sigurd Køhn.

Popular culture

Music

• 1 January – The Norwegian pop/country singer Kurt Nilsen, whom won the first season of the Norwegian version of the reality television show Pop Idol in May 2003, wins the World Idol competition which was a one-off international version of Pop Idol featuring winners of the various national Idol shows.
• 6 March – Selection of the participant for Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.
• 20 July – Maria Mena performs "You're the Only One" on Late Show with David Letterman.

Notable births

• 21 January – Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, the daughter of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and second in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne.

Notable deaths

• 13 January – Arne Næss, Jr., businessman and mountaineer
• 29 January – Helge Seip, politician
• 8 February – Kristian Henriksen, international soccer player, coach
• 10 February – Nils Aas, sculptor
• 15 February – Jens Evensen, lawyer, judge, politician and Minister
• 4 March – Erik Stai, high jumper
• 13 March – Guttorm Berge, alpine skier and Olympic bronze medallist
• 18 March – Jostein Nerbøvik, historian
• 27 March – Einar Magnussen, economist and politician
• 10 April – Odd Wang Sørensen, international soccer player
• 25 April – Thorbjørn Kultorp, politician
• 6 May – Kjell Hallbing, author of Western books under the pseudonym Louis Masterson
• 13 May – Kjell Bækkelund, pianist
• 13 May – Magnar Estenstad, cross country skier and double Olympic medallist
• 13 May – Bergfrid Fjose, politician and Minister
• 30 May – Leif Lund, politician
• 1 June – Randi Brænne, actress.
• 2 June – Egil Tynæs, medical doctor, killed in Afghanistan
• 23 June – Tor Aspengren, trade unionist
• 25 June – Carl Fredrik Wisløff, theologian and Christian preacher
• 13 July – Tore A. Liltved, politician
• 17 July – Paul Hilmar Jenson, philatelist
• 21 July – Oddbjørn Sverre Langlo, politician
• 3 August – Steinar Hansson, journalist and newspaper editor.
• 31 August – Edvin Landsem, cross country skier
• 13 October – Erik Bye, journalist, artist and radio and television personality
• 3 November – Eilert Dahl, Nordic skier
• 14 November – Petter Mørch Koren, politician and Minister
• 14 November – Harald Kråkenes, rower and Olympic bronze medallist
• 18 November – Kolbjørn Stordrange, politician
• 4 December – Oscar Olsen, politician
• 5 December – Øystein Rottem, philologist, literary historian and literary critic
• 12 December – Reidar Alveberg, bobsledder
• 18 December – Albert Nordengen, politician
• 24 December – Per Fossum, alpine skier.

Full date unknown

• Petter Jakob Bjerve, politician and Minister
• Finn Carling, novelist, playwright, poet and essayist
• Einar Førde, politician and Minister
• Sivert Andreas Nielsen, civil servant, banker and politician
• Arild Nyquist, novelist, poet, children's writer and musician
• Magne Skodvin, historian