Explorers from Norway

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Norwegian Explorers of all time. This list of famous Norwegian Explorers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Norwegian Explorers.

1. #1

   

   Roald Amundsen

   1872 - 1928

   HPI 84.99160 languages

   Roald Amundsen is most famous for being the first person to reach the South Pole.

2. #2

   

   Fridtjof Nansen

   1861 - 1930

   HPI 80.3888 languages

   Fridtjof Nansen is most famous for his exploration of the Arctic and his invention of a new type of ship, the Fram.

3. #3

   

   Erik the Red

   950 - 1003

   HPI 79.5663 languages

   Erik the Red is most famous for being the father of Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot in North America.

4. #4

   

   Thor Heyerdahl

   1914 - 2002

   HPI 77.1477 languages

   Thor Heyerdahl is most famous for his Kon-Tiki expedition. He was a Norwegian explorer who wanted to prove that people from South America could have traveled to Polynesia on balsa wood rafts.

5. #5

   

   Ingólfr Arnarson

   850 - 910

   HPI 73.0349 languages

   Ingólfr Arnarson is most famous for being the first Norse settler in Iceland, in 874.

6. #6

   

   Otto Sverdrup

   1854 - 1930

   HPI 64.3930 languages

   Norwegian sailor and Arctic explorer (1854-1930)

7. #7

   

   Carsten Borchgrevink

   1864 - 1934

   HPI 63.8028 languages

   Anglo-Norwegian polar explorer

8. #8

   

   Ohthere of Hålogaland

   900 - 901

   HPI 62.2522 languages

   Ohthere of Hålogaland is most famous for being a Viking explorer.

9. #9

   

   Naddodd

   b. 900

   HPI 61.9222 languages

   Norwegian explorer

10. #10

    

    Carl Anton Larsen

    1860 - 1924

    HPI 61.8626 languages

    Norwegian explorer and whaler (1860–1924)