The Norwegian economy is an example of mixed economy, featuring a combination of free market activity and large government ownership. The government controls key areas, such as the strategic petroleum sector (StatoilHydro), hydroelectric energy production (Statkraft), aluminium production (Norsk Hydro), the largest Norwegian bank (DnB NOR) and telecommunication provider (Telenor). The government controls 31.6% of publicly listed companies. When non-listed companies are included the state has even higher share in ownership (mainly from direct oil license ownership).

The country is richly endowed with natural resources including petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. Norway has obtained one of the highest standards of living in the world in part by having a large amount of natural resources compared to the size of the population. The income from natural resources include a significant contribution from petroleum production and the substantial and well-managed income related to this sector. Norway also has a very low unemployment rate, currently below 2% (June 2007). The hourly productivity levels, as well as average hourly wages in Norway are among the highest in the world. The egalitarian values of the Norwegian society^{[citation needed]} ensure that the wage difference between the lowest paid worker and the CEO of most companies is much smaller than in comparable western economies. This is also evident in Norway's low Gini coefficient.

Selskap med delt ansvar or DA, in English Company with Shared Liability is a type of company in Norway that does not have limited liability. The company will have two or more participents, who hold a given percentile ownership of the company. A DA is not based around stocks, like the aksjeselskap (AS), nor is there mutual liability, like in the ansvarlig selskap (ANS). Instead each participent is directly liable for its relative ownership in the company.


Norway companies

Template:Norwegian type of company Aksjeselskap Allmennaksjeselskap Ansvarlig selskap Borettslag Enkeltpersonforetak

Etat Health Trust Interkommunalt selskap Kommandittselskap Kommunalt foretak Norskregistrert utenlandsk foretak Regional Health Authority

Selskap med begrenset ansvar Selskap med delt ansvar Sparebank Statsforetak Stiftelse Student welfare organisation