Oslo is the capital and largest city in Norway with a population around 650,000 in the city stretching to 1.5M in metropolitan areas. Founded in 1000 CE and established as trading post by King Harald III in 1048, the city was elevated to a Bishopric in 1070 and a capital under Haakon V around 1300. After being destroyed by fire in 1634, the city was moved closer to Akershus Castle during the reign of King Christian IV and renamed Christiania in his honour. Its original Norwegian name of Oslo (origin possibly 'meadow at the bottom of the hill') was restored in 1925, Oslo was ranked number one in 2012 in terms of quality of life among European cities despite being ranked in 2011 as the second most expensive city in which to live after Tokyo. In 2013 it tied with Melbourne as the fourth most expensive city. Oslo is an important centre of maritime knowledge in Europe with about 2000 companies in the maritime section.
Oslo tragically was the centre of a massacre perpetrated in 2011. Two sequential attacks were undertaken by a Norwegian national Anders Brevik, first a car explosion in the Executive Government quarter of Oslo that killed 8 and injured 209 and the second less than two hours later at a summer camp on the island of Utoya where 69 were killed and 110 injured. Brevik was sentenced to 21 years jail which can be extended as required by law.
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