The Northern Gateway

The Northern Gateway Situated far beyond the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is proud of its reputation as the gateway to the High North. The city is also known as the “Paris of the North”, which testifies to its hospitality and international orientation. In fact, the economy of the region was truly international centuries before the word “globalisation” was invented.

A hundred years ago, Tromsø was an important fishing port and famous as a point of departure for Arctic exploration and scientific and hunting expeditions. It was also one of the most important harbours in what has been named the “pomor trade” between North Norway and the White Sea region of Russia.

Building on these traditions, Tromsø is now home to the world’s northernmost university, established in 1968, the Norwegian Polar Institute and other important centres of research and education. A new centre for international cooperation on climate and environmental research is being established. The secretariat of the Arctic Council – which brings together all the Arctic states – is based in Tromsø. An increasing number of important international conferences are held here. Since the beginning of the 1990s, Tromsø has played an active role in advancing cross-border cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region and has developed particularly close links to partners in Northwest Russia.

New opportunities are opening up in and around the Barents Sea, for example in the areas of petroleum and energy, marine bioprospecting and life sciences, integrated, environmentally safe management of oceans, tourism and the utilisation of new shipping lanes. Increasingly, advanced knowledge in these fields is being concentrated in Tromsø. The region’s vibrant business community is well positioned to grasp these opportunities in cooperation with international partners.

This brochure will introduce you to the business opportunities in the Tromsø region, one of the fastest growing in Norway and the regional centre for the whole of North Norway. Tromsø is home to many potential partners for investigating new horizons. Come to Tromsø to discover for yourself the magnificent nature of the High North and the exciting possibilities Tromsø and the whole Arctic region offer. Welcome to Tromsø, North Norway – and beyond!

Jonas Gahr Støre
Oslo, August 2010

For more information and for the Russian version of the publication: www.norwayexports.com