1979 in Norway

Events in the year 1979 in Norway.

• Monarch – Olav V
• Prime Minister – Odvar Nordli (Labour Party)

• Municipal and county elections are held throughout the country.
• Bryggen and the Urnes stave church are designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
• The death penalty is abolished for all crimes.^[1]
• 18 September – A fire in Vålerenga Church, which was later made into a song that became the club hymn for Vålerenga.
• The Alta Controversy continues lead by the indigenous Sámi people, many Norwegians protest the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Alta River in Northern Norway. The protests included hunger strikes, an occupation of the parliament lawn, and other forms of civil disobedience.^[2]
• The Troll gas field was proven, containing 1,300 billion cubic metres of gas,^[3] making it one of Norway's most significant energy discoveries.
• The Statfjord A platform began production in 1979.^[4] At the time of its discovery in 1974, Statfjord was the largest oil discovery in the North Sea.
• Labour removed Brundtland from the Government after the party's weak local elections in 1979, as it was considered necessary to let party leader Reiulf Steen join Nordli's Government.^[5] She then began serving in the Storting (parliament) on finance and foreign affairs committees.

• March – the planet Hoth scenes from the Hollywood film "The Empire Strikes Back" were filmed in the Hardangerjøkulen glacier.

• 1 December – During an episode of Jul i Skomakergata on NRK, Sandmännchen premieres on Norwegian television for the first time.

• Åge Rønning, writer and journalist, is awarded the Riksmål Society Literature Prize.
• Nils Johan Rud, novelist, short story writer and magazine editor, is awarded the Dobloug Prize for Swedish and Norwegian fiction.
• Bjørg Vik, writer, playwright and journalist, is awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature for the short stories En håndfull lengsel.

• 1 January – Anders Danielsen Lie, actor
• 4 January – Audun Ellingsen, jazz musician
• 5 January – Håvard Klemetsen, Nordic combined skier
• 7 January – Andreas Hauger, footballer
• 8 January – John Anders Bjørkøy, footballer
• 11 January – Kari Mette Johansen, handball player.^[6]
• 12 January – Åsa Elvik, politician
• 13 January – Einar Kalsæg, footballer
• 16 January – Espen Isaksen, footballer
• 20 January – Marte Reenaas, ski orienteering competitor
• 21 January – Thomas Berling, footballer
• 22 January – Ailo Gaup, motocross rider
• 22 January – Svein Oddvar Moen, footballer
• 23 January – Jarl Espen Ygranes, ice hockey player
• 24 January – Anita Auglend, singer

• 2 February – Olav Råstad, footballer
• 10 February – Johan Harstad, author
• 11 February – Joachim Sørum, footballer
• 13 February – Anders Behring Breivik, far-right domestic terrorist

• 1 March – Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen, chess player.^[7]
• 6 March – Aksel Magdahl, sailor
• 11 March
  • Roger Hjelmstadstuen, snowboarder
  • Morten Tandberg, football manager
• 13 March
  • Børge Lund, handball player.^[8]
  • Espen Olsen, footballer
• 15 March – Ola Berger, ski mountaineer anc cross-country skier
• 17 March – Tuva Moflag, politician.^[9]
• 20 March – Liv Kjersti Bergman, biathlete
• 23 March – Jostein Hasselgård, singer

• 2 April – Stian Westerhus, guitarist
• 5 April – Jørgen Tengesdal, footballer
• 8 April – Rune Stordal, speed skater
• 9 April – André Jørgensen, handball player
• 10 April – Kai Risholt, footballer
• 10 April – Roger Risholt, footballer
• 12 April – Thomas Dybdahl, musician
• 12 April – Lars Granaas, footballer
• 17 April – Hanne Hukkelberg, singer-songwriter
• 20 April – Stian Barsnes-Simonsen, actor
• 20 April – Kenneth Kapstad, musician
• 23 April – Saera Khan, politician.^[10]
• 24 April – Tor Henning Hamre, footballer
• 25 April – Nils-Torolv Simonsen, rower
• 25 April – Martin Sjølie, pianist, songwriter and record producer

• 1 May – Lars Berger, biathlete.^[11]
• 2 May – Oddrun Brakstad Orset, ski mountaineer
• 4 May – Morten Kolseth, footballer
• 6 May – Jan Erik Mikalsen, composer
• 7 May – Henrik Bjørnstad, golf player
• 8 May
  • Marius Erlandsen, auto racing driver
  • Alf Wilhelm Lundberg, jazz musician
  • Ole Johan Singsdal, footballer
  • Ole Morten Vågan, jazz musician
• 10 May – Isabel Blanco, handball player.^[12]
• 14 May – Bård Nesteng, archer.^[13]
• 16 May – Hermund Nygård, jazz musician
• 20 May – Torgeir Micaelsen, politician.^[14]
• 21 May – Svein-Erik Edvartsen, footballer
• 22 May – Christer-André Cederberg, music producer
• 23 May – Øyulf Hjertenes, journalist, newspaper editor and media executive.^[15]
• 26 May – Joachim Hansen, mixed martial artist
• 29 May – Ella Gjømle Berg, cross-country skier.^[16]

• 8 June – Jacob Norenberg, sprint canoer.^[17]
• 13 June – Nila Håkedal, beach volleyball player.^[18]
• 21 June – Henning Braaten, skateboarder
• 23 June – Susanna Wallumrød, singer
• 25 June – Haddy N'jie, singer, songwriter, writer and journalist
• 26 June – Mathias Eick, jazz musician

• 3 July – Erik Lund, rugby union footballer
• 4 July – Lene Westgaard, political scientist
• 17 July – Lars Rørbakken, strongman
• 21 July – Ingrid Tørlen, beach volleyball player.^[19]
• 24 July – Heidi Skjerve, jazz musician
• 26 July – Bodil Ryste, ski mountaineer and cross-country skier

• 3 August – Maria Haukaas Mittet, singer
• 4 August –
  • Torgeir Ruud Ramsli, footballer
  • Mona Solheim, taekwondo practitioner.^[20]
  • Nina Solheim, taekwondo practitioner
• 8 August – Ellinor Jåma, politician
• 9 August – Tore Ruud Hofstad, cross-country skier
• 10 August – Ove Alexander Billington, jazz pianist and composer
• 11 August – Christer George, footballer
• 22 August – Henriette Løvar, curler
• 24 August – Katja Nyberg, handball player
• 27 August – Erik Watndal, sport shooter.^[21]
• 31 August – Camilla Huse, footballer

• 3 September – Stian Eckhoff, biathlete.^[22]
• 5 September – Kjersti Beck, handball goalkeeper
• 5 September – John Carew, footballer
• 11 September – Kenneth Høie, footballer
• 13 September – Linda Grubben, biathlete
• 15 September
  • Mahmoud Farahmand, politician.^[23]
  • Atle Gulbrandsen, racing driver and television announcer
• 22 September – Alex Valencia, footballer
• 23 September – Lisa Loven Kongsli, actress
• 24 September – Stine Hofgaard Nilsen, alpine skier

• 2 October – Kjetil Strand, handball player
• 5 October – Lisa Wiik, snowboarder
• 8 October – Wilhelm Brenna, ski jumper
• 9 October – Veronika Flåt, actress
• 10 October – Espen Søgård, footballer
• 14 October – Marcus Paus, composer
• 19 October
  • Ingunn Ringvold, roots singer, musician and songwriter
  • Magne Sturød, footballer
• 24 October – Lise Birgitte Fredriksen, sailor
• 27 October – Tom Hugo, musician

• 1 November – Tommy Knarvik, footballer
• 2 November – Nina Ellen Ødegård, actress
• 8 November – Erling Sande, politician
• 10 November – Ragnvald Soma, footballer
• 30 November – Ellen Blom, ski mountaineer

• 3 December – Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold, writer
• 6 December – Tommy Wirkola, film director, producer and screenwriter
• 10 December – Tora Augestad, musician
• 14 December – Øystein Runde, comics writer and comics artist
• 18 December – Øyvind Storflor, footballer
• 20 December
  • Espen Johnsen, footballer
  • Benedikte Shetelig Kruse, singer and actor
• 27 December – Hanne Sørvaag, musician
• 28 December – Daniel Forfang, ski jumper

• Dolk (artist), graffiti artist
• Morten Morland, cartoonist
• Robert Post, singer-songwriter
• Einar Selvik, musician
• Stein Urheim, jazz musician

• 7 January – Thoralf Hagen, rower and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1887)
• 28 January – Elling Enger, composer, organist, and choir conductor (b.1905)
• 4 February – Hans Martin Gulbrandsen, canoeist (b.1914)
• 15 February – Karl Henry Karlsen, politician (b.1893)
• 7 March – Klaus Egge, composer and music critic (b.1906)
• 3 April – Dagfinn Zwilgmeyer, psalmist (b. 1900).^[24]
• 6 April – Finn Øen, politician (b.1902)
• 17 April – Trygve Olsen, politician (b.1921)
• 26 April – Trygve Stokstad, boxer (b.1902)
• 7 May – Øivind Bolstad, playwright and novelist (born 1905).^[25]
• 7 May – Erik Brofoss, economist, politician and Minister (b.1908)
• 8 June – Magnar Isaksen, international soccer player and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1910).^[26]
• 5 July – Rolf Holmberg, soccer player and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1914)
• 10 July – Harald Færstad, gymnast and Olympic silver medallist (b.1889)
• 15 July – Haakon Sløgedal, politician (b.1901)
• 28 July – Steffen Ingebriktsen Toppe, politician (b.1902)
• 6 August – Olav Hordvik, politician (b.1901)
• 24 August – Bernt Evensen, speed skater, Olympic gold medallist and racing cyclist (b.1905)
• 22 September – Tore Segelcke, actress (b.1901)
• 30 September – Johan Johannesen, track and field athlete (b.1898)
• 16 October – Johan Borgen, author, journalist and critic (b.1902)
• 16 October – Olav Svalastog, politician (b.1896)
• 14 December – Otto Monsen, track and field athlete (b.1887)

• Emil Boyson, poet, author, and translator (b.1897)
• Anders Frihagen, politician and Minister (b.1892)
• Gunnar Emil Garfors, poet (b.1900)
• Jørgen Holmboe, meteorologist (b.1902)
• Rolf Østbye, businessperson (b.1898)
• Rolf Ingvar Semmingsen, civil servant (b.1908)
• Ole Siem, naval officer, businessman, and politician (born 1882).^[27][28]
• Nils Thomas, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (b.1889)