NORWAY in the Eurovision Song Contest – Participation history

Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest

Participating broadcaster
Participation summary
Appearances
First appearance
Language
National Selections National final
Internal selection
Hostings
Highest placement Top 5 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Highest placement Top 10 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Worst placement (Bottom) FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Times qualified – Qualifiying rate
Victories
Nul points (Nil points) FINAL SEMI-FINALS

Participation history

Note: Entries scored out signify where Norway did not compete

Years

1960 • 1961• 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 

Artists Nora Brockstedt • Nora Brockstedt • Inger Jacobsen • Anita Thallaug • Arne Bendiksen • Kirsti Sparboe • Åse Kleveland • Kirsti Sparboe • Odd Børre • Kirsti Sparboe • Hanne Krogh • Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg (Grethe Kausland og Benny Borg) • Bendik Singers • Anne-Karine and the Bendik Singers (Anne-Karine Strøm og Bendik Singers) • Ellen Nikolaysen • Anne-Karine Strøm • Anita Skorgan • Jahn Teigen • Anita Skorgan • Sverre Kjelsberg and Mattis Hætta (Sverre Kjelsberg og Mattis Hætta) • Finn Kalvik • Jahn Teigen and Anita Skorgan (Jahn Teigen og Anita Skorgan) • Jahn Teigen • Dollie de Luxe • Bobbysocks! • Ketil Stokkan • Kate Gulbrandsen • Karoline Krüger • Britt Synnøve Johansen • Ketil Stokkan • Just 4 Fun • Merethe Trøan • Silje Vige • Elisabeth Andreasson and Jan Werner Danielsen (Elisabeth Andreasson og Jan Werner Danielsen) • Secret Garden • Elisabeth Andreassen • Tor Endresen • Lars A. Fredriksen (Lars Fredriksen) • Van Eijk • Charmed • Haldor Lægreid • Jostein Hasselgård • Knut Anders Sørum • Wig Wam • Christine Guldbrandsen • Guri Schanke • Maria (Maria Haukaas Storeng) • Alexander Rybak (Аляксандр Рыбак) • Didrik Solli-Tangen • Stella Mwangi • Tooji • Margaret Berger • Carl Espen • Mørland and Debrah Scarlett (Kjetil Mørland og Debrah Scarlett) • Agnete (Agnete Johnsen) • JOWST [feat.Aleksander Walmann] (JOWST med Aleksander Walmann) • Alexander Rybak (Аляксандр Рыбак) • KEiiNO • Ulrikke (Ulrikke Brandstorp) • TIX • Subwoolfer • Alessandra • Gåte • 
Songs Voi-voi” • “Sommer i Palma” • “Kom sol, kom regn” • “Solhverv” • “Spiral” • “Karusell” • “Intet er nytt under solen” • “Dukkemann” • “Stress” • “Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli” • “Lykken er” • “Småting” • “It’s Just a Game” (Å, for et spill) • “The First Day of Love” (Hvor er du?) • “Touch My Life with Summer” (Det skulle ha vært sommer nå) • “Mata Hari” • “Casanova” • “Mil etter mil” • “Oliver” • “Sámiid ædnan” • “Aldri i livet” • “Adieu” • “Do Re Mi” • “Lenge leve livet” • “La det swinge” • “Romeo” • “Mitt liv” • “For vår jord” • “Venners nærhet” • “Brandenburger Tor” • “Mrs. Thompson” • “Visjoner” • “Alle mine tankar” • “Duett” • “Nocturne” • “I evighet” • “San Francisco” • “Alltid sommer” (All I Ever Wanted (Was You), Alt jeg ville ha, var deg) • “Living My Life Without You” (Å leve livet mitt uten deg) • “My Heart Goes Boom” (Hjertet mitt går bang) • “On My Own” (På egen hånd) • “I’m Not Afraid to Move On” (Jeg er ikke redd for å gå videre) • “High” (Høyt) • “In My Dreams” (I mine drømmer) • “Alvedansen” • “Ven a bailar conmigo” (Kom og dans med meg) • “Hold On Be Strong” (Hold fast, vær sterk)) • “Fairytale” (Eventyr) • “My Heart Is Yours” (Hjertet mitt er ditt)• “Haba Haba” (Steg for steg) • “Stay” (Bli) • “I Feed You My Love” (Jeg mater deg med min kjærlighet) • “Silent Storm” (Stille storm) • “A Monster Like Me” (Et monster som meg) • “Icebreaker” (Isbryter) • “Grab the Moment” (Grip øyeblikket) • “That’s How You Write a Song” (Det er sånn du skriver en sang) • “Spirit in the Sky” (Ånden på himmelen) • “Attention” (Oppmerksomhet) • “Fallen Angel” (Ut av mørket) • “Give That Wolf a Banana” (Gi den ulven en banan) • “Queen of Kings” (Dronningen av konger) • “Ulveham” • 

 

  • Emittente televisiva: NRK
  • Processo di Selezione: Selezione Nazionale (Melodi Grand Prix 1960–1969, 1971–1990, 1992–2001, 2003–2020) | Selezione Interna (1991)
  • Organizzazione concorso – Paese ospite: 3 (ESC Bergen 1986; ESC Oslo 1996; ESC Oslo 2010)
  • Numero di partecipazioni: 58 (55 finali)
  • Lingue:  Inglese ()
  • Prima partecipazione: ESC London 1960: Nora Brockstedt | Voi-voi
  • Miglior piazzamento: Top 5: FI:  | SF: 
  • Miglior piazzamento Top 10: FI: 
  • Peggior piazzamento (Bottom): FI: | SF: 
  • Average place: 11,06
  • Qualificazioni per la Finale: 13 su 16 (dal 2004)
  • Numero di vittorie: 3 (ESC Gothenburg 1985: Bobbysocks | La Det Swinge; ESC Dublin 1995: Secret Garden | Nocturne; ESC Moscow 2009: Alexander Rybak | Fairytale)
  • Nul points (Nil points): FI: 1997, 1981, 1978, 1963| SF: 

Norway made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 thanks to Nora Brockstedt and her pop ditty ‘Voi-Voi’.

Success would prove elusive until 1985 when duo Bobbysocks! triumphed with their schlager anthem “La Det Swinge” (‘Let It Swing’) at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg.

A second victory arrived in 1995 when another twosome, Secret Garden, entranced the audience in Dublin’s Point Theatre with their mostly instrumental dream-pop track “Nocturne”.

Alexander Rybak delivered a record-breaking tally of points in 2009, as the violinist romped to a third Norwegian victory at the Contest in Moscow with his anthemic folk-inspired ballad “Fairytale”.

Norway has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 62 times since making its debut in 1960 and has only been absent twice since then. In 1970, the country boycotted the contest over disagreements about the voting structure, and in 2002, they were relegated. The Norwegian participant broadcaster in the contest is Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK), which select its entrant with the national competition Melodi Grand Prix.

Before 1985, Norway’s best result in the contest was a third-place with “Intet er nytt under solen” by Åse Kleveland in 1966. Norway’s three victories in the contest were achieved by “La det swinge” by Bobbysocks in 1985, “Nocturne” by Secret Garden in 1995, and “Fairytale” by Alexander Rybak in 2009. Norway also finished second at the 1996 contest, with “I evighet” by former Bobbysocks member Elisabeth Andreassen. Norway has finished last in twelve Eurovision finals, of which four times with “nul points“. Norway has a total of 12 top-five results in the contest, the latest being a fifth place with “Queen of Kings” by Alessandra in 2023.

History

[edit]

Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) is a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. It has participated in the contest representing Norway since its fifth edition in 1960.

NRK’s first entrant in the contest was “Voi Voi” performed by Nora Brockstedt in 1960, who finished fourth; Brockstedt would return the next year with “Sommer i Palma“, this time placing seventh. “Intet er nytt under solen” by Åse Kleveland then finished third in 1966, following which Norway would fail to reach the top ten in fourteen out of their next fifteen attempts, with the exception being seventh place finish with “It’s Just a Game” by the Bendik Singers in 1973. Before 1985, Norway had only received a top-ten score in six out of twenty-four attempts, and had finished last the same number of times.

Bobbysocks gave the country its first victory in 1985, with the song “La det swinge“. Norway went on to achieve two more top five results over the next ten years, with Karoline Krüger in 1988 and Silje Vige in 1993, who both finished fifth.

Norway’s second victory came in 1995 with Secret Garden‘s mainly instrumental Celtic-influenced ethno-piece “Nocturne“. In 1996Elisabeth Andreassen, who had won the contest as one half of Bobbysocks, returned to the contest as a solo artist, finishing in second place. In 2003Jostein Hasselgård came fourth.

Norway won for the third time in 2009, with Alexander Rybak and his song “Fairytale“. The song’s score of 387 points was the highest ever winning total under the 1975-2015 voting system, and also achieved the biggest ever margin of victory: 492 points in total were distributed between the competing countries in 2009, meaning “Fairytale” received 78.7% of the points that could be rewarded. Rybak later returned to the contest in 2018, performing “That’s How You Write a Song“; he received the highest number of votes of the second semi-final, but ultimately placed fifteenth. He remains the only Norwegian entrant to have won a semi-final, as well as the only two-time semi-final winner in the history of the contest.

In 2024, Norway finished last in the final for the twelfth time. Norway has the dubious distinction of finishing last in the Eurovision final more than any other country, and along with Austria, has received “nul points” (zero points) in the contest on four occasions; in 196319781981 and 1997.

Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Norway has finished in the top ten eight times. Wig Wam finished ninth in 2005Maria Haukaas Storeng was fifth in 2008, Alexander Rybak won in 2009, Margaret Berger was fourth in 2013Carl Espen finished eighth in 2014Mørland and Debrah Scarlett finished eighth in 2015Jowst finished tenth in 2017Keiino won the public vote and finished sixth overall in 2019Subwoolfer finished tenth in 2022, and Alessandra finished fifth in 2023. In total, Norway has 12 top-five and 27 top-ten finishes in the contest.

Participation overview

[edit]

Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
Last place
X Entry selected but did not compete
Upcoming event

Note: Edizione | # | Artista (i) | Canzone [Musica (m) / Texto (t)] | Lingua (Traduzione) | Punteggio | Posizione | Processo di Selezione

NOTES:

  1. a^ Jump up to:a b According to the then-Eurovision rules, the top ten non-Big Four countries from the previous year along with the Big Four automatically qualified for the Grand Final without having to compete in semi-finals. For example, if Germany and France placed inside the top ten, the 11th and 12th spots were advanced to next year’s Grand Final along with all countries ranked in the top ten.
  2. b^ Performance contains uncredited live vocals from Aleksander Walmann
  3. c^ The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. d^ All conductors are of Norwegian nationality unless otherwise noted.
  5. e^ Conducted by Egil Monn-Iversen at the national finals.
  6. f^ Conducted by Helge Hurum at the national final.
  7. g^ Conducted by Egil Monn-Iversen at the national finals.
  8. h^ Also conducted the Danish entry. Fred Nøddelund conducted at the national final.
  9. i^ The song was performed without orchestral accompaniment at the national final.
  10. j^ Conducted by Geir Langslet at the national final.
  11. k^ Alessandra Mele was initially appointed as the Norwegian spokesperson, though she withdrew before the final and was replaced by Helljesen.

Photo gallery

Hostings

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Year Location Venue Presenters
1986 Bergen Grieghallen Åse Kleveland
1996 Oslo Oslo Spektrum Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket
2010 Telenor Arena Nadia HasnaouiHaddy N’jie and Erik Solbakken

Songs of Europe

[edit]

Year Location Venue Presenters
1981 Mysen Momarken Rolf Kirkvaag and Titten Tei

Awards

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Marcel Bezençon Awards

[edit]

Year Category Song Composer(s)
lyrics (l) / music (m)
Performer Final Points Host city Ref.
2009 Press Award Fairytale Alexander Rybak (m & l) Alexander Rybak 1 387 Russia Moscow
2015 Composer Award A Monster Like Me Kjetil Mørland (m & l) Mørland & Debrah Scarlett 8 102 Austria Vienna

Winner by OGAE members

[edit]

Year Song Performer Place Points Host city Ref.
2009 Fairytale Alexander Rybak 1 387 Russia Moscow

[edit]

Conductors

[edit]

Year Conductor[d] Musical director Notes Ref.
1960 Øivind Bergh N/A [5]
1961
1962
1963
1964 Karsten Andersen
1965 Øivind Bergh
1966
1967
1968
1969
1971 Arne Bendiksen [e] [6]
1972 Carsten Klouman
1973
1974 Frode Thingnæs
1975 Carsten Klouman
1976 Frode Thingnæs [f]
1977 Carsten Klouman
1978
1979 Sigurd Jansen [g]
1980 [7]
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985 Terje Fjærn
1986 Egil Monn-Iversen [h]
1987 Terje Fjærn N/A
1988 Arild Stav [i]
1989 Pete Knutsen
1990
1991
1992 Rolf Løvland
1993
1994 Pete Knutsen
1995 Geir Langslet
1996 Frode Thingnæs [j]
1997 Geir Langslet N/A
1998

Additionally, there was an orchestra present at the 1999 national final, conducted by Geir Langslet (the winning song, however, was presented without orchestral accompaniment) and at the 2015 national final, conducted by Anders Eljas.

Heads of delegation

[edit]

Year Head of delegation Ref.
19982005 Jon Ola Sand
2006200920122015 Stian Malme
20102011 Skjalg Solstad
2016–present Stig Karlsen [no]

Supervisors

[edit]

List of supervisors of Melodi Grand Prix, better known as MGP-general or GP-general in Norway:

Year Head of delegation Ref.
c. 2007–2012 Per Sundnes
2013–2015 Vivi Stenberg
2016–2017 Jan Fredrik Karlsen
2018–present Stig Karlsen [no]

Commentators and spokespersons

[edit]

Year Commentator Spokesperson Ref.
1960 Erik Diesen Kari Borg Mannsåker
1961 Leif Rustad Mette Janson
1962 Odd Grythe Kari Borg Mannsåker
1963 Øivind Johnsen Roald Øyen
1964 Odd Grythe Sverre Christophersen
1965 Erik Diesen
1966 Sverre Christophersen Erik Diesen
1967 Erik Diesen Sverre Christophersen
1968 Roald Øyen
1969 Sverre Christophersen Janka Polanyi
1970 No commentator Did not participate
1971 Sverre Christophersen No spokesperson
1972 Roald Øyen
1973 John Andreassen
1974 Sverre Christophersen
1975
1976 Jo Vestly
1977 John Andreassen
1978 Bjørn Scheele Egil Teige
1979 Egil Teige Sverre Christophersen
1980 Knut Aunbu Roald Øyen
1981 Sverre Christophersen
1982 Bjørn Scheele Erik Diesen
1983 Ivar Dyrhaug
1984 Roald Øyen Egil Teige
1985 Veslemøy Kjendsli Erik Diesen
1986 Knut Bjørnsen Nina Matheson
1987 John Andreassen and Tor Paulsen Sverre Christophersen
1988 John Andreassen Andreas Diesen
1989 Sverre Christophersen
1990 Leif Erik Forberg
1991 John Andreassen and Jahn Teigen
1992 John Andreassen
1993 Leif Erik Forberg
1994 Jostein Pedersen
1995 Annette Groth
1996 Jostein Pedersen Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft
1997
1998
1999
2000 Marit Åslein
2001 Roald Øyen
2002 Did not participate
2003 Roald Øyen
2004 Ingvild Helljesen
2005
2006
2007 Per Sundnes Synnøve Svabø
2008 Hanne Hoftun Stian Barsnes-Simonsen
2009 Synnøve Svabø
2010 Olav Viksmo-Slettan Anne Rimmen
2011 Nadia Hasnaoui
2012
2013 Tooji
2014 Margrethe Røed
2015
2016 Elisabeth Andreassen
2017 Marcus & Martinus
2018 Aleksander Walmann and Jowst
2019 Alexander Rybak
2020 Marte Stokstad Not announced before cancellation
2021 Marte Stokstad Silje Skjemstad Cruz
2022 Tix
2023 Ben Adams
2024 Ingvild Helljesen[k]

Norway’s average distribution of the given points (2010-2016)

# 2010 2010 SF2 2011 2011 SF1 2012 2012 SF2 2013 2013 SF2 2014 2014 SF2 2015 2015 SF2 2016 2016 * 2016 SF2 2016 SF2 * Total Partici-
pations
Average
1 Sweden X 12 10 X 12 12 12 X 8 X 12 12 7 X X 97 10 9,70
2 Australia X X X X X X X X X X 10 X 10 8 12 8 48 5 9,60
3 Finland X X 12 12 X X 8 7 12 X X X X X X 51 6 8,50
4 Lithuania X 5 3 8 6 7 X X 5 6 10 2 12 8 12 84 13 6,46
5 Iceland 6 X 8 10 5 X 4 10 6 X X 2 X X X X 51 8 6,38
6 Netherlands X 3 X X X 3 8 X 12 X X X 6 X X 32 6 5,33
7 Bulgaria X X X X 6 X 1 X X X X 8 5 10 6 36 7 5,14
8 Romania 10 10 X X 6 6 4 10 X X X X X 46 9 5,11
9 Belgium 3 X X X X X 3 X X X 7 X 5 2 7 7 34 7 4,86
10 Denmark 8 8 7 X 2 X 7 X 1 X X X X X 5 38 8 4,75
11 Poland X X X 3 X X X X 2 7 5 1 10 4 10 42 9 4,67
12 Estonia X X 2 X 7 8 X X X 3 X X X X X 20 5 4,00
13 Israel 5 7 X X X X X X 4 8 3 5 1 33 10 3,30
14 Serbia X 6 7 10 10 X X X X X 33 10 3,30
15 Latvia X X X X X X X X X 8 7 3 2 3 23 7 3,29
16 Austria X X X X X X X 10 8 X X X 18 6 3,00
17 Italy X X X 4 X X X 5 X 12 X X 21 7 3,00
18 Malta X X X 2 10 12 2 X X X 26 10 2,60
19 Germany 12 X 5 X 3 X X X X X X 20 8 2,50
20 Ukraine 4 X 1 2 1 X X X X 4 4 6 4 26 11 2,36
21 Russia X 4 8 X X X 2 X 6 X X 20 9 2,22
22 Greece X 1 X 5 7 6 X X X X X 19 9 2,11
23 Bosnia & Herzegovina X 4 X 4 X X X X X X X X X X 8 4 2,00
24 Ireland 6 X X X X 3 X X X 3 2 14 9 1,56
25 Spain X X X X 5 X X 7 X X 12 8 1,50
26 Portugal X X X 5 X X X X X X X X X 5 4 1,25
27 Azerbaijan 7 2 X 5 X X X 14 12 1,17
28 Switzerland X 6 X X X 3 X 1 X X 10 9 1,11
29 Slovenia X X X X X 4 1 4 X X 9 9 1,00
30 Hungary X X 5 X 2 2 X X X X 9 9 1,00
31 Montenegro X X X X X X X X X 3 X X X X 3 3 1,00
32 Cyprus X X X X X X X 6 X X 6 7 0,86
33 Turkey 2 1 X 1 X X X X X X X X X X 4 5 0,80
34 France 4 X X X X X X 1 X X 5 8 0,63
35 United Kingdom X 1 X X X 3 X X X X 4 8 0,50
36 Armenia X X X 4 X X X X 4 9 0,44
37 Georgia 1 X X X 1 2 13 0,15
38 Belarus X X X X X 1 X X X X 1 7 0,14

Norway’s average distribution of the received points (2010-2016)

# Country 2010 2010 SF2 2011 2011 SF1 2012 2012 SF2 2013 2013 SF2 2014 2014 SF2 2015 2015 SF2 2016 2016 * 2016 SF2 2016 SF2 * Total Partici-
pations
Average
1 IS Iceland X 10 1 X 10 12 1 X 10 10 X X X 54 12 4,50
2 SE Sweden X 3 10 12 X 3 X 7 12 X X X 47 11 4,27
3 FI Finland X 8 X 12 10 7 10 4 X X X X 51 12 4,25
4 RO Romania X X 8 8 1 4 6 X X X X X X 27 7 3,86
5 PT Portugal X 2 3 X X 3 X 6 8 X X X X X 22 7 3,14
6 DK Denmark X X 12 X 6 X 3 X 6 10 X 37 13 2,85
7 CH Switzerland 2 X 7 8 5 2 10 10 2 X 46 17 2,71
8 LT Lithuania 4 6 X 8 8 5 8 4 2 X 45 17 2,65
9 NL Netherlands X 3 3 6 X 10 X 3 X X X X 25 10 2,50
10 LV Latvia X X X 8 12 5 X 2 7 X 34 15 2,27
11 SM San Marino X X 7 5 X 6 8 X X X 26 12 2,17
12 MT Malta X 4 3 3 3 2 7 2 5 X X X 29 14 2,07
13 DE Germany X X 7 2 5 7 4 7 X 32 17 1,88
14 EE Estonia X X 8 3 X 3 X 4 X X X X 18 10 1,80
15 ES Spain X X 5 12 X 2 X X X X 19 11 1,73
16 AU Australia X X X X X X X X X 4 8 5 X 17 10 1,70
17 PL Poland X 1 X X X X 7 6 3 6 X 23 14 1,64
18 SI Slovenia X 5 X 5 4 4 6 2 X 26 16 1,63
19 IE Ireland X X X 7 8 4 4 X 23 15 1,53
20 GR Greece X X 4 4 3 7 X X X X 18 12 1,50
21 SK Slovakia X X 4 X X X X X X X X X X X 4 3 1,33
22 MK North Macedonia X X 8 7 4 X 2 X 21 16 1,31
23 BY Belarus X X 3 3 X 4 X 6 3 X 19 15 1,27
24 HU Hungary X X 2 7 X 4 X X X X 13 11 1,18
25 CZ Czech Republic X X X X X X X X X 7 X X X 7 6 1,17
26 CY Cyprus X X 4 X X X 6 X X X 10 9 1,11
27 ME Montenegro X X X X 4 X X 6 X X X 10 9 1,11
28 GE Georgia 4 8 5 X 1 X 18 17 1,06
29 IT Italy X X X 8 X 5 2 X 15 15 1,00
30 AT Austria X X X X 1 5 4 X X X X 10 10 1,00
31 TR Turkey 4 X X X X X X X X X X X 4 4 1,00
32 AM Armenia 1 X X 3 5 X X X X X 9 10 0,90
33 AL Albania X 1 X 2 X X 10 X 13 15 0,87
34 BE Belgium X X X 7 X X X 4 X 11 13 0,85
35 BG Bulgaria X 2 1 7 X X X X 1 X 11 13 0,85
36 IL Israel X X 6 5 1 X 12 16 0,75
37 RS Serbia X 7 X X X X 3 X 10 14 0,71
38 RU Russia X X 7 X X X X X X 7 10 0,70
39 AZ Azerbaijan 1 X 2 5 X X X X 8 12 0,67
40 HR Croatia 3 X X X X X X X X 3 9 0,33
41 UA Ukraine X 3 X X X X 1 X 4 13 0,31
42 MD Moldova X X X 2 X X X X X X 2 9 0,22
43 GB United Kingdom X 2 1 X 3 17 0,18
44 FR France X X 2 X X X X X 2 11 0,18
45 BA Bosnia & Herzegovina X X 1 X X X X X X X X X 1 7 0,14

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