Lofoten Island, Norway
The Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten is famous for its mountains, fjords and beaches and the richness of the ecosystem in the sea surrounding the islands. The area holds unique cold water reefs, pods of sperm whales and killer whales, some of the largest seabird colonies in Europe as well as being the spawning grounds of the largest remaining cod stock in the world. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.
Along the continental brake there are large coral reefs, sponge communities and a rich sea bed fauna. Cold water reefs are among the richest habitats in European waters. Lophelia reefs are biodiversity hot-spots on the sea floor. The Rost reef is the world’s largest known Lophelia reef - 45 km long and 3 km wide. Along the coast, there are major kelp forests, providing food and shelter for many fish and other species.
Oil has made Norway one of the richest countries in the world. But there is no such thing as a risk free oil production.
