Demographics of Norway

Demographic features of the population of Norway, including places like Jan Mayen and Svalbard, cover many important aspects such as population density, ethnicity, education, health, economic status, and religious affiliations. These details help us understand how people live and what their lives are like in Norway.

The population of Norway grew to over 5.6 million during 2025. This includes people living in mainland Norway as well as in special areas like Svalbard, where the ground stays frozen year-round, affecting things like building hospitals and burying remains.

Studying demographics helps us learn about the culture, challenges, and opportunities for families and communities in Norway. It shows how the country has changed over time and what might be important for its future.

Historical populations

From 1349 to 1500, many people in Norway became very sick because of a disease called the black plague, and the number of people was cut in half to about 250,000.

The first time anyone counted how many people lived in Norway was in 1769, and they found 723,000 people living there. Many people from Norway moved to America between 1825 and 1925—more than any other country except Ireland. When Norway became fully independent in 1905, there were 2,303,595 people living there.

Population

The total population of Norway at the end of 2024 was 5,594,340 people. Experts think the population reached 5 million people on March 19, 2012.

Here are some interesting facts about Norway's population:

• One baby is born every 8 minutes.
• One person passes away every 13 minutes.
• There is one new person moving into the country every 19 minutes.
• The population grows by one person every 10 minutes.

Norway has a good balance between births and deaths, and many people live in cities. About 82% of people live in urban areas, and this number is growing slowly.

The country has a high life expectancy, with people living around 82 years on average. The median age is about 39 years, meaning half the population is younger and half is older.

Fertility

The total fertility rate, which is the average number of children a woman has during her life, was about 1.85 children per woman in 2018.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy in Norway has improved over time. In recent years, the average person lives about 82 years.

Age structure

Norway's population is spread out across different age groups:

• Children aged 0–14 years make up about 18% of the population.
• Young adults aged 15–24 years make up about 12%.
• Adults aged 25–54 years make up the largest group at about 41%.
• Older adults aged 55–64 years make up about 12%.
• Seniors aged 65 years and older make up about 17%.

Population density

Most people in Norway live in cities, with about 82% of the population in urban areas.

Vital statistics

Data according to Statistics Norway, which collects the official statistics for Norway.

Some important moments in Norway's history include:

• 1807-1814 – British naval blockade during Gunboat War
• 1814 – Constitution of Norway
• 1867-1869 - Swedish famine
• 1905 – Dissolution of the Union between Norway and Sweden
• 1918 - Spanish flu
• 1946-1953 – Post-war baby boom
• 2020-2022 - COVID-19

Current vital statistics

Structure of the population

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 19.XI.2011) (Including residents temporarily outside the country. Population statistics are compiled from registers.):

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.I.2021) (Data refer to usual resident population.):

Ethnicity

Statistics Norway does not collect information about people's ethnic backgrounds. They only record where people were born.

In 2012, a government study found that about 81% of people living in Norway were ethnic Norwegians, meaning they and both of their parents were born in Norway.

The people of Norway are mostly Norwegians, a group from the North Germanic region. In Northern Norway, there is a community of Sámi people. The Sámi have lived in this area for thousands of years. Other groups in Norway include Scandinavian Romani, Roma, Jews, Kvener, and a small Finnish community.

Immigration

Main article: Immigration to Norway

Norway has seen more people from different parts of the world move to live there in recent years. Many people have come from places like South Asia, East Asia, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. After some Eastern European countries joined the European Union in 2004, many people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia also moved to Norway.

By the start of 2022, immigrants and people born in Norway to immigrant parents made up about 18.9% of the country’s population. Most of these people came from other European countries, but many also came from Asia and Africa. Some areas, like Oslo, have many more immigrants than other places. Immigration has been an important reason why Norway’s population has been growing.

Employment and income

In 2017, about 10.4% of people in Norway were without jobs. This is higher for males at 11.7% and lower for females at 9%. These numbers are for young people aged between 15 and 24.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Norway

The Lutheran Church of Norway used to be the official church of the country, and most people still belong to it, even if they don't go to church very often. With more people moving to Norway from other places, other religions have grown too, especially Islam and Roman Catholicism. Saint Olaf is known as Norway's special saint and many people think of him as a very important king from long ago.

Languages

Main article: Norwegian language

People in Norway mainly speak Norwegian, which has two written forms called Bokmål and Nynorsk. In some areas, other languages like South Sámi, Lule Sámi, North Sámi, and Kven are also official languages in local communities.