Demographic features of the population of Norway, including Jan Mayen, and Svalbard, where the hospital is not equipped for births, and no burials are allowed because of permafrost, include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
The population of Norway as 1 January of 2026 was 5,267,400.
Historical populations
From 1349 to 1500 the population was approximately halved by several rounds of the black plague, down to approximately 250,000.
The first official census for the then Denmark-Norway kingdom union was held in 1769 and found the Norwegian population to be 723,000.
Except for Ireland, no other country contributed a larger percentage of its population to the American immigration between 1825 - 1925 when more than 800,000 left Norway.
By 1905, when Norway reached full independence, the population was 2,303,595.
Population
The total population of Norway at the end of 2024 was 5,594,340. Statistics Norway estimated that the 5,000,000 milestone was reached on 19 March 2012.Nina Berglund: Norwegians now number 5 million News in English, 18 March 2012
The following demographic statistics are from the World Population Review. One birth every 8 minutes One death every 13 minutes One net migrant every 19 minutes Net gain of one person every 10 minutes
County Population (2026) Akershus 749,207 Oslo 728,714 Vestland 658,342 Rogaland 508,922 Agder 323,030 Østfold 316,448 Buskerud 272,981 Møre og Romsdal 273,169 Trøndelag 489,166 Nordland 243,272 Troms 171,218 Innlandet 379,488 Telemark 177,923 Finnmark 75,288 Vestfold 259,332
Fertility
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.
Years 18001801180218031804180518061807180818091810Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.324.073.914.23.944.334.394.2743.213.87
Years 1811181218131814181518161817181818191820Total Fertility Rate in Norway3.994.263.763.534.45.054.674.434.594.79 Years 1821182218231824182518261827182818291830Total Fertility Rate in Norway54.744.884.674.945.014.614.584.844.65 Years 1831183218331834183518361837183818391840Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.464.34.424.564.74.234.134.363.844.01 Years 1841184218431844184518461847184818491850Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.294.424.344.314.494.44.434.284.614.45 Years 1851185218531854185518561857185818591860Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.64.464.64.934.614.424.544.624.824.63 Years 1861186218631864186518661867186818691870Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.34.524.694.554.64.614.384.34.224.26 Years 1871187218731874187518761877187818791880Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.294.44.414.594.674.684.694.644.714.53 Years 1881188218831884188518861887188818891890Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.44.474.514.594.564.484.564.424.314.43 Years 189118921893189418951896189718981899Total Fertility Rate in Norway4.514.354.474.384.524.474.484.534.47 County Fertility rate (2025) Østfold 1.48 Akershus 1.60 Oslo 1.33 Buskerud 1.45 Innlandet 1.54 Vestfold 1.48 Telemark 1.47 Agder 1.59 Rogaland 1.65 Vestland 1.49 Møre og Romsdal 1.61 Trøndelag 1.45 Nordland 1.51 Troms 1.38 Finnmark 1.51
Total fertility rate
1.85 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 143rd Mother's mean age at first birth
28.9 years
Birth rate
12.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 160th
Life expectancy
Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1843–1950
Years184618471848184918501851185218531854185518561857185818591860Life expectancy in Norway48.044.845.048.049.549.748.547.951.650.450.450.251.649.950.0
Years1861186218631864186518661867186818691870Life expectancy in Norway45.844.746.748.850.449.947.947.249.350.9 Years1871187218731874187518761877187818791880Life expectancy in Norway49.750.049.747.847.646.849.751.853.151.9 Years1881188218831884188518861887188818891890Life expectancy in Norway50.447.449.650.851.051.751.750.449.148.6 Years1891189218931894189518961897189818991900Life expectancy in Norway49.849.751.450.652.853.853.754.051.653.5 Years1901190219031904190519061907190819091910Life expectancy in Norway54.656.555.056.155.156.956.556.357.558.0 Years1911191219131914191519161917191819191920Life expectancy in Norway58.057.758.357.858.257.357.750.356.858.9 Years1921192219231924192519261927192819291930Life expectancy in Norway61.660.861.862.162.563.362.963.462.564.1 Years1931193219331934193519361937193819391940Life expectancy in Norway64.164.665.566.265.865.866.067.167.465.9 Years1941194219431944194519461947194819491950Life expectancy in Norway65.865.766.165.868.269.570.071.171.571.6
1950–2015
PeriodLife expectancy inYearsPeriodLife expectancy inYears1950–195572.81985–199076.31955–196073.51990–199577.31960–196573.51995–200078.31965–197073.92000–200579.31970–197574.42005–201080.61975–198075.32010–201581.61980–198576.0 Source: UN World Population Prospects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82 years. Country comparison to the world: 22nd male: 79.9 years female: 84.1 years (2018 est.) Death rate
8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 90th
Age structure
0–14 years: 18.1% (male 495,403 /female 471,014) (2018 est.) 15–24 years: 12.3% (male 340,672 /female 324,088) 25–54 years: 41.0% (male 1,136,373 /female 1,065,138) 55–64 years: 11.7% (male 318,898 /female 310,668) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 420,178 /female 489,759)
Median age
total: 39.3 years. Country comparison to the world: 55th male: 38.6 years female: 40 years (2018 est.)
Population density 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
Vital statistics Data according to Statistics Norway, which collects the official statistics for Norway.
Notable events in Norwegian demographics:
1807-1814 – British naval blockade during the Gunboat War 1918 - Spanish flu 1940-1945 – World War II 1946-1953 – Post-war baby boom 2020-2022 - COVID-19