STOCKHOLM, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Norway provides its citizens with the highest social security benefits of any country in Europe, Norwegian Broadcasting reported on Monday.

    This is shown by figures from the European statistics office Eurostat.

    The social benefits grants to Norwegians averaged 11,755 Euro in 2002, equal to 93,200 Norwegian Krone.

    This was 37,700 Krone higher than in Iceland, 36,900 Krone higher than in Finland, 19,200 higher than in Sweden and 12,300 higher than in Denmark.

    Compared with EU nations outside Scandinavia, the differences are even higher.

    According to Eurostat, the social benefits in Norway cost 48,000 Krone per citizen more than in Italy. Enditem