orway is a maritime nation relying heavily on offshore oil and gas, fisheries, fish farming, and shipping. The country^ relatively large fleet of research vessels reflects this fact. However, Norway is also very much a polar nation, with 80% of its sea territory and 45% of its land mass north of the Arctic Circle. It is the only country with territorial claims both in the Arctic and in the Antarctic. In spite of this, Norway has not had a purpose-built polar research vessel since Roald Amundsen's Maud, launched in 1917, instead relying on converted fishing vessels for this purpose in recent decades. This is about to change as Kronprins Haakon is commissioned into service.
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