Oslo is the largest city in Norway and its largest with a population of 578,870 in its municipality last 2009. The city was founded by King Harald III of Norway and was destroyed by fire in 1624. Christian IV, the Danish-Norwegian King rebuilt it and named it Christiana before Oslo became its official name again in 1925. It is a governmental, scientific, economic and cultural hub of Norway and also a center for banking, trade, shipping and industry. Home to approximately 8,500 employees, Oslo is an important district for maritime knowledge.

Currently the world´s most expensive city, Oslo is ranked Beta World City Plus and is considered a global city. Cultural diversity characterizes this city with an estimated twenty-five percent of the core population being immigrants. Its two percent population growth per year makes it one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. Its economy is fueled by the black gold from the oil which the North Sea has given them. With population growth came its urban expansion although it has retained its virgin forests and hiking trails which lead to the fjords or mountains, which remain to this day