The Nobel Prizes are famously split between two Scandinavian nations, a tradition that has persisted since the awards were first established. While the prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economic Sciences are presented in Stockholm, Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony takes place in Oslo, Norway.

This geographical separation is not a result of modern political compromise, but rather the direct request of Alfred Nobel himself. In his final will and testament, signed in 1895, Nobel specified that the Peace Prize should be awarded by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting (the Norwegian Parliament). The reasons for this decision remain a subject of historical analysis, as Nobel never explicitly explained why he chose Norway for the peace category while leaving the other prizes to Swedish institutions.

Historians often point to the political climate of the late 19th century. At the time, Norway and Sweden were joined in a personal union under the Swedish monarch, but Norway had its own parliament and a growing desire for independence. Some scholars suggest that Nobel may have viewed Norway as a more peaceful or neutral political environment, or perhaps he intended to foster a stronger sense of cooperation between the two nations. Regardless of the underlying motivation, the Norwegian Nobel Committee remains the sole body responsible for selecting the Peace Prize laureate, operating independently from the Swedish organizations that oversee the remaining Nobel categories.