2024 Edition Primary

Background

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.

Area

land

304,282 sq km

total

323,802 sq km

water

19,520 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Coastline

25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Elevation

highest point

Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

lowest point

Norwegian Sea 0 m

mean elevation

460 m

Geographic coordinates

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

Irrigated land

337 sq km (2016)

Land boundaries

border countries

Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km

total

2,566 km

Land use

agricultural land

2.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.)

forest

27.8% (2018 est.)

other

69.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

10 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

rockslides, avalanchesvolcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Population distribution

most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Terrain

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Age structure

0-14 years

16.3% (male 461,979/female 438,243)

15-64 years

64.5% (male 1,820,692/female 1,734,818)

65 years and over

19.1% (2024 est.) (male 498,301/female 555,700)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

11.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Norway is a trendsetter country in gender equality, especially in workforce participation.  Of particular value to families are the child and parental leave benefits.  This supplement is a monthly allowance paid to families from a month after birth until the child reaches 18 to defray some of the costs of raising children.  This is helpful to families with young children where the mother works limited hours.  The parental leave benefit is available to qualified mothers in a child’s first year, enabling parents to share at-home childcare for up to 49 weeks at full salary (or 59 weeks with 80% of their salary).  Afterward, parents can put their child in high-quality subsidized daycare or receive funding toward private child care or as compensation for one parent staying home to care for their child. Norway was originally a country of emigration with almost 850,000 Norwegians going abroad between 1825 and 1945.  At the turn of the 20th century, most Norwegians emigrated temporarily to work in the US.  Immigrants to Norway in the 1960s were mostly from neighboring Nordic countries, with whom they shared a common labor market.  By the end of the 1960s, with a strong economy and population shortage, Norway admitted guest workers from Pakistan, Morocco, then Yugoslavia, and Turkey.  The labor migrants were expected to be temporary, but many settled in Norway.  Eventually, Norway imposed immigration restrictions and the majority of migrants came in as refugees or for family reunification.  Beginning in the 1990s, Norway’s migration policy aimed at achieving integration – including language instruction and integration into the job market – as well as combatting racism and xenophobia.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

27.9

note

note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

potential support ratio

3.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54

youth dependency ratio

26.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

1.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

major-language sample(s)

Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: Sami has three dialects (Lule, North Sami, and South Sami) and is an official language in nine municipalities in the northernmost counties of Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.6 years

male

81.3 years

total population

82.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

1.086 million OSLO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

2 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

41.5 years

male

40.1 years

total

40.8 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.8 years (2020 est.)

note

note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births

Nationality

adjective

Norwegian

noun

Norwegian(s)

Net migration rate

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.1% (2016)

Physician density

5.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

2,728,761 (2024 est.)

male

2,780,972

total

5,509,733

Population distribution

most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.59% (2024 est.)

Religions

Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 67.5%, Muslim 3.1%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 2.6%, unspecified 19.9% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

19 years (2020)

male

18 years

total

18 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

15.4% (2020 est.)

male

17% (2020 est.)

total

16.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

84% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

12 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Agder, Innlandet, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oslo, Rogaland, Romsdal, Troms og Finnmark, Trondelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Vestland, Viken (2024)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

the medieval name was spelt "Aslo"; the as component refered either to the Ekeberg ridge southeast of the town ("as" in modern Norwegian), or to the Aesir (Norse gods); lo refered to "meadow," so the most likely interpretations would have been either "the meadow beneath the ridge" or "the meadow of the gods"; both explanations are considered equally plausible

geographic coordinates

59 55 N, 10 45 E

name

Oslo

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament; amended over 400 times, last in 2023

history

drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Norway

conventional short form

Norway

etymology

derives from the Old Norse words "nordr" and "vegr" meaning "northern way" and refers to the long coastline of western Norway

local long form

Kongeriket Norge

local short form

Norge

Dependent areas

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard (3)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sharon HUDSON-DEAN (since February 2024)

email address and website

OsloACS@state.govhttps://no.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo

FAX

[47] 22-56-27-51

mailing address

5460 Oslo Place, Washington DC  20521-5460

telephone

[47] 21-30-85-40

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Anniken Scharning HUITFELDT (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

New York, San Francisco

email address and website

emb.washington@mfa.nohttps://www.norway.no/en/usa/

FAX

[1] (202) 469-3990

telephone

[1] (202) 333-6000

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of State appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament

chief of state

King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr STORE (since 14 October 2021)

Flag description

red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of petty Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal or Lagmennsrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts; note - in addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - Ap 26.3%, H 20.5%, SP 13.6%, FrP 11.7%, SV 7.6%, R 4.7%, V 4.6%, MDG 3.9%, KrF 3.8%, PF 0.2%, other 3.1%; seats by party - Ap 48, H 36, SP 28, FrP 21, SV 13, R 8, V 8, , KrF 3, MDG 3, PF 1; composition - men 94, women 75, percentage women 44.4%

elections

last held on 13 September 2021 (next to be held by September 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK

name

"Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)

note

note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, "Kongesangen" (Song of the King), which uses the tune of "God Save the King," serves as the royal anthem

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Bryggen (c); Urnes Stave Church (c); Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (c); Rock Art of Alta (c); Vegaøyan – The Vega Archipelago (c); Struve Geodetic Arc (c); West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord (n); Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (c)

total World Heritage Sites

8 (7 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties

Center Party or Sp Christian Democratic Party or KrF Conservative Party or H Green Party or MDG Labor Party or Ap Liberal Party or VPatient Focus or PF Progress Party or FrP Red Party or R Socialist Left Party or SV 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, pork, chicken, beef, eggs, rye (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

12.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$174.546 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$334.543 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AAA (1995)

Moody's rating

Aaa (1997)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (1975)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$66.254 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$177.149 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$86.368 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

high-income, non-EU economy with trade links via European Economic Area (EEA); key European energy security role as leader in oil, gas, and electricity exports; major fishing, forestry, and extraction industries; oil sovereign fund supports generous welfare system; low unemployment; inflation and response hampering growth in non-energy sectors

Exchange rates

Currency

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

8.8 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9.416 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

8.59 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

9.614 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

10.563 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$203.228 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$327.706 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$228.625 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

natural gas, crude petroleum, fish, refined petroleum, aluminum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 27%, UK 21%, France 9%, Belgium 7%, Sweden 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

47.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

21.9% (2023 est.)

household consumption

37.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-32.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

2.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.1% (2023 est.)

industry

39% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

50% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$485.513 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

27.7 (2019 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

22.4% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

3.4% (2019 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$140.331 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$161.645 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$157.032 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, ships, garments, nickel (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Sweden 18%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Denmark 6%, Netherlands 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

0.22% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.48% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.76% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.52% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

3.009 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

12.2% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Public debt 2017

36.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$482.472 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$496.973 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$499.528 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.91% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.01% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.51% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$89,200 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$91,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$90,500 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.13% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.11% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.12% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$84.271 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$72.077 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$80.459 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.27% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

4.37% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.23% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.58% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

10.6% (2023 est.)

male

11.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

11% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

3.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

8.977 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

26.72 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

38.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.201 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

84,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

1.204 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

117,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

2 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

121.899 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

25.792 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

13.259 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

40.54 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

8.951 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

88.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

10.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

201.034 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

4.548 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

121.285 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

67.96 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

123.727 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

1.544 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

8.122 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

229,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

2.02 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2020 est.)

total

2,387,661 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned public radio-TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations, 3 nationwide radio stations, and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned TV stations broadcast nationally and roughly another 25 local TV stations broadcasting; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 2 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationwide and another 240 stations operate locally; Norway is the first country in the world to phase out FM radio in favor of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), a process scheduled for completion in late 2017 (2019)

Internet country code

.no

Internet users

percent of population

99% (2021 est.)

total

5.346 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 7 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 110 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Norway has a sophisticated telecom market with high broadband and mobile penetration rates and a highly developed digital media sector. Although not a member of the European Union, the country’s telecoms sector is synchronized with relevant EC legislation; Norway enjoys near comprehensive LTE coverage with upgrades to 5G technologies in the future (2023)

international

country code - 47; landing points for the Svalbard Undersea Cable System, Polar Circle Cable, Bodo-Rost Cable, NOR5KE Viking, Celtic Norse, Tempnet Offshore FOC Network, England Cable, Denmark-Norwary6, Havfrue/AEC-2, Skagerrak 4, and the Skagenfiber West & East submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries, Europe and the US; satellite earth stations - Eutelsat, Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

140,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

111 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

6.015 million (2022 est.)

Airports

145 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LN

Heliports

77 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 109, container ship 1, general cargo 274, oil tanker 95, other 1,241

total

1,720 (2022)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

125

number of registered air carriers

8 (2020)

Pipelines

8,520 km gas, 1,304 km oil/condensate (2017)

Ports

key ports

Bergen, Drammen, Hammerfest, Harstad, Horten, Karsto, Mongstad, Oslo, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim

large

1

medium

10

ports with oil terminals

54

size unknown

6

small

34

total ports

141 (2024)

very small

90

Railways

total

3,848 km (2020) 2,482 km electrified

Roadways

total

95,120 km (2022)

Waterways

1,577 km (2010)

Military - note

the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) are responsible for protecting Norway and its allies, including monitoring Norway’s airspace, digital, land, and maritime areas, maintaining the country’s borders and sovereignty, contributing to NATO and UN missions, and providing support to civil society, such as assisting the police, search and rescue, and maritime counterterrorism efforts; the military’s territorial and sovereignty defense missions are complicated by Norway’s vast sea areas, numerous islands, long and winding fjords, and difficult and mountainous terrain; a key area of emphasis is its far northern border with RussiaNorway is one of the original members of NATO, and the Alliance is a key component of Norway’s defense policy; the Forsvaret participates regularly in NATO exercises, missions, and operations, including air policing of NATO territory, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and standing naval missions, as well as operations in non-NATO areas, such as the Middle Eastthe Forsvaret also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; Norway contributes to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies both in peacetime and in times of crisis or conflict with a focus on the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea regions; Norway has close military ties with the US, including rotational US military deployments and an agreement allowing for mutual defense activities and US military forces to access some Norwegian facilitiesthe Forsvaret's origins go back to the leidangen, defense forces which were established along the coastline in the 10th century to protect the Norwegian coast (2024)

Military and security forces

Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret or "the Defense"): Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Norwegian Special Forces, Norwegian Cyber Defense Force, Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2024)

note

note: the national police have primary responsibility for internal security; the National Police Directorate, an entity under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, oversees the police force

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 27,000 active personnel (9,000 Army; 4,300 Navy; 4,700 Air Force; 9,000 other, including special operations, cyber, joint staff, intelligence, logistics support, active Home Guard, etc.); approximately 40,000 Home Guard (2024)

note

note: active personnel include about 10,000 conscripts

Military deployments

up to 200 Lithuania (NATO); Norway also has deployed air and naval assets in support of other NATO operations such as the Iceland Air Policing and the Mine Counter Measures Group missions  (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of modern, imported Western European and US, as well as domestically produced weapons systems and equipment; in 2024, the Norwegian Government announced a new defense plan which would double defense spending over the following 12 years with priorities placed in such areas as the acquisition of air defenses and naval capabilities; Norway has a defense industry with a focus in niche capabilities and participates in joint development and production of weapons systems with other European countries (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.7% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women volunteers; 12-19 month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months between the ages of 19 and 28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2024)

note

note 1: Norway has had compulsory military service since 1907; individuals conscripted each year are selected from a larger cohort who are evaluated through online assessments and physical testsnote 2: Norway was the first NATO country to allow women to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1985); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014; as of 2023, women comprised about 20% of the military's full-time personnelnote 3: beginning in 1995, the military began offering Icelandic citizens the opportunity to apply for admission to officer schools in Norway with an associated education and service contract under special reasons and based on recommendations from Icelandic authorities; as early as 1996, Norway and Iceland entered into a cooperation agreement on the voluntary participation of Icelandic personnel in Norwegian force contributions in foreign operations

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

15,901 (Syria), 10,883 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2022); 70,085 (Ukraine) (as of 8 March 2024)

stateless persons

3,901 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA, aka Norsk Romsenter; established 1987) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Andøya Space Center (Andøya Island; note - first operational spaceport in continental Europe) (2024)

Space program overview

has a broad and active space program coordinated with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the EU; jointly designs and builds satellites with foreign partners, including communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and navigational/positional; operates satellites; develops and launches sounding rockets; researches and produces a range of other space-related technologies, including satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) and space station components, telescopes, and robotics; conducts solar and telecommunications research; participates in international space programs, such as the International Space Station; hosts training for Mars landing missions on the island of Svalbard; active member of the ESA and cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, ESA/EU member states, Japan, Russia, and the US; has an active and advanced space industry that cooperates with both the NOSA and foreign space programs and produces a variety of space-related products, from terminals for satellite communications and technologies for RS satellites to sensors for gamma radiation in deep space (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

41.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.81 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

6.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Environment - current issues

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Gea Norvegica; Magma; Sunnhordland; Trollfjell (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

4

Land use

agricultural land

2.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.)

forest

27.8% (2018 est.)

other

69.5% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

393 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1.07 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

780 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

84% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2.187 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

572,119 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

26.2% (2015 est.)