Norway: low impact of world economic slowdown

In Norway economic growth expanded in 2000 by 2.3%, which again was below the Western European average. The unemployment rate increased from 0.2% to 3.4%, and inflation was strong at 3.1%. In 2001 GDP is expected to grow by nearly 1½%. Consumer prices will increase by an average annual rate of 3% and the unemployment rate will stabilise at about 3½%. In 2002 economic growth of nearly 2¼% is expected, and the economy will again come close to overheating