Demographics of Norway

Population density map of municipalities in Norway from 2016.

Total population in Norway 1735–2017, in millions.^[1]

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Norway, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Total population

The total population of Norway on 1 January 2018 was 5,295,619.^[2] Statistics Norway estimated that the 5,000,000 milestone was reached on 19 March 2012.^[3]

Total Fertility Rate from 1850 to 1899

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.^[4]

A large size Norwegian nuclear family. Photo of 1890.

Years	1800	1801	1802	1803	1804	1805	1806	1807	1808	1809	1810[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.32	4.07	3.91	4.2	3.94	4.33	4.39	4.27	4	3.21	3.87

Annual population growth in Norway 1951–2016, in thousands.^[1]

Natural growth

Total growth

Years	1811	1812	1813	1814	1815	1816	1817	1818	1819	1820[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	3.99	4.26	3.76	3.53	4.4	5.05	4.67	4.43	4.59	4.79

Years	1821	1822	1823	1824	1825	1826	1827	1828	1829	1830[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	5	4.74	4.88	4.67	4.94	5.01	4.61	4.58	4.84	4.65

Years	1831	1832	1833	1834	1835	1836	1837	1838	1839	1840[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.46	4.3	4.42	4.56	4.7	4.23	4.13	4.36	3.84	4.01

Years	1841	1842	1843	1844	1845	1846	1847	1848	1849	1850[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.29	4.42	4.34	4.31	4.49	4.4	4.43	4.28	4.61	4.45

Years	1851	1852	1853	1854	1855	1856	1857	1858	1859	1860[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.6	4.46	4.6	4.93	4.61	4.42	4.54	4.62	4.82	4.63

Years	1861	1862	1863	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.3	4.52	4.69	4.55	4.6	4.61	4.38	4.3	4.22	4.26

Years	1871	1872	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.29	4.4	4.41	4.59	4.67	4.68	4.69	4.64	4.71	4.53

Years	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887	1888	1889	1890[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.4	4.47	4.51	4.59	4.56	4.48	4.56	4.42	4.31	4.43

Years	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899[4]
Total Fertility Rate in Norway	4.51	4.35	4.47	4.38	4.52	4.47	4.48	4.53	4.47

Vital statistics since 1900

Data according to Statistics Norway, which collects the official statistics for Norway.^[5]

Ethnicity

Ethnically, the residents of Norway are predominantly Norwegians, a North Germanic ethnic group descent. In Northern Norway live the Sami, who claim descent from people who settled the area around 8,000 years ago, probably from continental Europe through the Norwegian coast and through Finland along the inland glaciers. As of 2012, an official government study shows that 86.2% of the total population are ethnic Norwegians.^[10] The national minorities of Norway include Scandinavian Romani, Roma, Jews, and Kvener, as well as a small Finnish community.

In the last decades, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Norway had a steady influx of immigrants from South Asia (mostly Pakistanis and Sri Lankans), East Asia (mainly Chinese), and Southeast Asia (e.g. Filipinos), Eastern Europe (e.g. Russians and Poles), Southern Europe (Greeks, Albanians and people from former Yugoslavia etc.), and Middle East countries (especially Iraqis and Palestinians), as well as Somalis, Turks, Moroccans, and some Latin Americans. After ten Eastern European and Baltic countries joined the EU in 2004, there has also been a substantial influx of people from Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Immigrants constituted 13% of the population at the start of 2015, and an additional 2.6% were born in Norway by immigrant parents^[11] (up from 8,3% and 1,5% in 2006^[12]). The same year, 19% of births in Norway were to immigrant parents.^[11] In 2006, non-Western immigrants constituted 75% of the total number of immigrants. They contribute much of the population growth. Among people of African descent in Oslo, almost 60% are younger than 30, compared to 20% of those of North American background.^[12]

As of 2012, an official government study shows that more than 660,000 individuals (13.8%) are migrants and their descendants (110,000 second generation migrants born in Norway).^[10]

Of these 660,000 immigrants and their descendants:

• 335,000 (51%)^[10] have a Western background (Australia, New Zealand, North America, elsewhere in Europe)
• 325,000 (49%)^[10] have a non-Western background.

In 2012, of the total 660 000 with immigrant background, 407,262 had Norwegian citizenship (62.2 percent).^[13]

Immigrants were represented in all Norwegian municipalities. The cities or municipalities with the highest share of immigrants in 2012 was Oslo (26 percent) and Drammen (18 percent).^[14] The share in Stavanger was 16%.^[14] According to Reuters, Oslo is the "fastest growing city in Europe because of increased immigration".^[15] In recent years, immigration has accounted for most of Norway's population growth.^[12]

Rank	Country of origin[16]	Population (2018)[17]
1.	Poland	110,509
2.	Lithuania	43,930
3.	Somalia	42,406
4.	Sweden	38,870
5.	Pakistan	37,412
6.	Iraq	33,416
7.	Syria	29,889
8.	Germany	27,542
9.	Eritrea	26,218
10.	Philippines	23,972
11.	Vietnam	23,065
12.	Iran	22,150
13.	Denmark	21,237
14.	Russia	20,990
15.	Afghanistan	20,762

Genetics of the native people of Norway

Immigration

As of 2012, an official study shows that the quotient of the total population that is either born outside Norway, or has one or two parents born abroad, or has one or more grandparents born abroad is 1,100,000 to 5,017,500 (which equals 21.9%).^[20]

About a half million of these, however, identify as ethnic Norwegians who may have, for example, Swedish or Danish ancestors. As of 2012, an official government study shows that 86.2%^[10] of the total population are ethnic Norwegians and more than 660,000 individuals (13.8%)^[10] are migrants and their descendants (110,000^[10] second generation migrants born in Norway).

Of these 660,000 immigrants and their descendants:

• 335,000 (51%)^[10] have a Western background (Australia, New Zealand, North America, elsewhere in Europe)
• 325,000 (49%)^[10] have a non-Western background.

Other demographic statistics

Population pyramid 2016

Norway is an ancient country and it is claimed that as far back as 1665, there were already 440,000 people living here. Despite wars, steady growth through the ages has continued to the point where the Norway population in 2014 now stands at approximately 5,091,246.^[21]

Historical landmarks were reached in 1825, when the population of Norway hit 1,051,318 and thereby exceeded one million for the first time in the country’s history and in 1900, the numbers had reached 2,240,032.^[21]

Throughout the 20th century, population growth was steady and on a census by census basis, it generally increased in that century by between 3% and 4%.^[21]

The following demographic statistics are from the World Population Review.^[21]

• One birth every 4 minutes
• One death every 5 minutes
• One net migrant every 11 minutes
• Net gain of one person every 8 minutes

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.^[6]

Population

5,320,045 (July 2017 est.)

3,570,554 (1960)

2,376,952 (1910)

1,583,525 (1860)

Population - comparative

Slightly greater than British Columbia, but slightly less than Singapore and Eritrea.

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 145th

Median age

total: 39.2 years Country comparison to the world: 57th

male: 38.4 years

female: 40 years (2017 est.)

total: 39.7 years (2010 est.)

male: 38.8 years

female: 40.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.9 years

Note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births (2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.01% (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 113rd

Birth rate

12.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 164th

Death rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Net migration rate

5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 17

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years Country comparison to the world: 18th

male: 79.8 years

female: 84 years (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births Country comparison to the world: 221st

male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

Population pyramid for Norway as of 1 January 2017.

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 490,915/female 466,515) (2017 est.)

15-24 years: 12.58% (male 343,103/female 326,053)

25-54 years: 41.01% (male 1,125,334/female 1,056,330)

55-64 years: 11.71% (male 315,223/female 307,639)

65 years and over: 16.71% (male 409,057/female 479,876)

0–14 years: 18.8% (male 472,060; female 449,649) (2011 est)

15–64 years: 66.2% (male 1,662,852; female 1,593,501)

65 years and over: 15.0% (male 325,937; female 416,306)

0–14 years: 26.0% (male 476,748; female 452,559) (1960 est)

15–64 years: 63.0% (male 1,125,525; female 1,123,206)

65 years and over: 11.0% (male 175,485; female 214,184)

0–14 years: 35.0% (male 423,253; female 408,204) (1910 est)

15–64 years: 57.3% (male 640,835; female 722,443)

65 years and over: 7.7% (male 82,312; female 99,905)

0–14 years: 35.9% (male 288,510; female 280,249) (1860 est.)

15–64 years: 58.0% (male 446,391; female 472,405)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 42,130; female 53,840)

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 83.2% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.3%, other 8.5% (2017 est.)

Languages

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities note: Sami has three dialects: Lule, North Sami, and South Sami; Sami is an official language in nine municipalities in Norway's three northernmost countries: Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms

Religions

Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 71.5%, Roman Catholic 2.8%, other Christian 3.9%, Muslim 2.8%, other 2%, unspecified 7.5% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.1 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 27.3

elderly dependency ratio: 24.8

potential support ratio: 4

Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Urbanization

urban population: 82.2% of total population (2018)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years

male: 17 years

female: 18 years (2015)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 11.1% Country comparison to the world: 118th

male: 13%

female: 9.3% (2016 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15–64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female

Religion

The Lutheran Church of Norway is the former state church and the vast majority remain at least nominal members. Other religions do, however, enjoy religious freedom and have prospered with immigration in recent years, particularly Islam and Roman Catholicism. Saint Olaf is the patron saint of Norway. He is regarded by some as the eternal king and has a reputation and place in history unchallenged by any other Norwegian King for the last 1000 years.

Official languages

Norwegian (the written standards Bokmål and Nynorsk).
Five Uralic languages – Finnish, South Sami, Lule Sami, North Sami and Kven – are additional official languages of some municipalities.

See also

• Norway
• Demographics of Svalbard
• Aging of Europe

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Norway.