Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Norway is a 385,208 square kilometers large country in the north of Europe. It shares a border with Sweden, Finland, and Russia in the east of the country. It is a part of Scandinavia, which usually refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, but it is also a part of the Nordic region, which also includes Iceland and Finland. Norway was one of the founding members of the military alliance NATO as well as the United Nations and is a part of the European Economic Area but not the European Union.
Norway’s population has been increasing consistently in the last two decades, reaching 5.49 million in 2023. It has the second smallest population out of the Nordic countries with only Iceland having fewer inhabitants. Almost 13 percent of the population live in Oslo, the biggest city of Norway and the country’s capital. The most populated county is Viken which surrounds the capital Oslo. Like many other developed countries, Norway has an aging population, with 18 percent of the population being 65 years or older.
Norway’s population has been increasing consistently in the last two decades, reaching 5.49 million in 2023. It has the second smallest population out of the Nordic countries with only Iceland having fewer inhabitants. Almost 13 percent of the population live in Oslo, the biggest city of Norway and the country’s capital. The most populated county is Viken which surrounds the capital Oslo. Like many other developed countries, Norway has an aging population, with 18 percent of the population being 65 years or older.
Births and deaths
Norway’s population is on average getting older, in part also due to the low fertility rate. The fertility rate has been decreasing yearly in the last decade while also consistently being below two. Worsening the issue of an aging population is the increasing life expectancy in Norway, at 83.2 years in 2021. It is one of the highest life expectancies in the world due to high standards of living. Since fewer and fewer people are born while more Norwegians are getting older, this issue will shape Norway’s demographics in the future. The life expectancy in Norway fell somewhat in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was an increase in the number of deaths in 2022.Migration
One of the reasons for Norway’s population growth despite the falling fertility rates has been consistent immigration to the country in the last decade. A steady immigration flow has led to positive net migration in the last 10 years, especially from 2007 to 2014, which must be seen in relation with many Eastern European countries entering the European Union (and hence also the EEA) in 2004 and 2007. Moreover, a high number of Ukrainians arrived in Norway in 2022 following the Russian invasion of the country in February that year. Ukraine, Poland, and Sweden are the three most common countries of origin of immigrants. The majority of foreign citizens living in Norway today are from Europe, including Turkey. Less people emigrate from Norway but among those who do, the most common countries of destination are Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
