Fridtjof Nansen

Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian explorer and humanitarian. He was born near Oslo, Norway, in 1861. He was the first person to cross Greenland on skis. He later won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping refugees.

Early Life

Nansen grew up loving the outdoors. He was an excellent skier and ice skater. He studied zoology at university. His first big adventure was crossing the ice of Greenland in 1888.

Fridtjof Nansen when he was just four years old.
Fridtjof Nansen when he was just four years old. (Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Nansen crossed Greenland on skis, which people said was impossible. He then tried to reach the North Pole by freezing his ship in the Arctic ice. He got closer to the pole than anyone before. After his exploring days, he helped refugees and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.

Fun Facts

  • Nansen deliberately froze his ship in the ice to let currents carry it toward the North Pole.
  • He lived in an ice shelter for months during his Arctic journey.
  • He helped create passports for stateless refugees, called Nansen passports.

Did You Know?

After World War I, Nansen helped bring home 500,000 prisoners of war. He also helped feed millions of starving people in Russia. His Nansen passport helped refugees who had no country of their own.