Population in Norway 2026
Norway population statistics confirm the country continues growing steadily, even as its underlying demographic engine shifts fundamentally from births toward immigration. According to Statistics Norway (SSB), the country’s official statistical agency, Norway’s total population stood at 5,627,400 as of 1 January 2026, an increase of 0.6% from the previous year. Over the past decade, the population has grown by 7.9%, but the composition of that growth is changing rapidly: SSB’s own long-term projections show deaths will outnumber births starting around 2046, after which all future population growth will depend entirely on net immigration.
This report compiles verified Norway population statistics directly from Statistics Norway’s official population register, its biennial national population projections, and the Central Population Register maintained under the Population Registration Act. It covers the current population size and growth rate, immigration and citizenship breakdowns, regional and municipal variation, age structure and population ageing, and SSB’s own long-range projections through 2100, giving a complete, data-backed picture of where Norway’s population stands today and where it is heading.
Interesting Facts About Norway’s Population in 2026
| Interesting Fact | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Total population (1 January 2026) | 5,627,400 |
| Annual growth rate | 0.6% |
| Population growth over the past decade | 7.9% |
| Foreign citizens residing in Norway (1 Jan 2026) | 637,967 |
| Largest foreign citizen group | Poland (109,513) |
| Year population will shift to immigration-only growth | 2046 |
| Current immigrant share of total population | ~17% |
| Projected immigrant share by 2050 | ~22% |
| Projected population by 2100 (main scenario) | ~6.4 million |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Population Statistics and National Population Projections, 2026
As a Norway population statistics starting point, these figures reveal a country whose demographic future looks markedly different from its past. Norway has historically maintained more births than deaths, but SSB’s own long-term modeling projects that pattern will reverse around 2046, after which the country’s continued population growth will rely entirely on immigration rather than natural increase. Already, roughly 17% of Norway’s population has an immigrant background, a share SSB projects will climb to around 22% by 2050 as the country’s existing immigrant population becomes more established, with growing numbers reaching older age groups.
Poland remains Norway’s largest single source of foreign citizens, with 109,513 Polish nationals registered as of 1 January 2026, followed by Ukraine at 86,362 — a figure reflecting the sustained humanitarian migration following Russia’s 2022 invasion. Looking further ahead, SSB’s main population scenario projects Norway’s population will reach roughly 5.75 million by 2030, 6.2 million by 2050, and approach 6.4 million by 2100, though the agency stresses these long-range projections carry meaningful uncertainty given how much they depend on future fertility, life expectancy, and migration assumptions that could shift considerably over such an extended timeframe.
Current Population Size and Growth Statistics in Norway 2026
| Population Measure | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Total population, 1 January 2026 | 5,627,400 |
| Total population, 1 January 2025 (comparison) | ~5,594,340 |
| Annual growth rate | 0.6% |
| Decade growth rate (2016-2026) | 7.9% |
| Year Norway reached 5 million residents | 19 March 2012 |
| Q1 2026 net immigration leader (by country) | Ukraine (+1,460) |
| Other significant Q1 2026 net inflows | Syria (+305), Sweden (+287), Spain (+277) |
| SSB quarterly data publication lag | ~6 weeks after reference period |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Population and Population Changes, Q1 2026
Norway’s population grew to 5,627,400 as of 1 January 2026, continuing a steady expansion that has added 7.9% to the population over the past ten years alone. This growth trajectory places Norway firmly among Europe’s demographically stable nations, especially notable given that the country only crossed the 5 million resident threshold on 19 March 2012 — meaning it has added over 600,000 people in barely more than a decade. SSB’s Central Population Register, maintained under the Population Registration Act of 1970, tracks these changes through quarterly updates, though the agency notes published figures typically lag about six weeks behind the actual reference period due to data processing and verification requirements.
Q1 2026 migration data reveals Ukraine as the single largest source of net immigration, adding 1,460 more arrivals than departures during the quarter, continuing a pattern established since 2022’s humanitarian crisis. Additional significant net inflows came from Syria (+305), Sweden (+287), Spain (+277), and Romania (+235), reflecting a mix of ongoing refugee resettlement, Nordic labor mobility, and broader EU/EEA migration patterns that continue shaping Norway’s population composition on a quarter-by-quarter basis.
Foreign Citizens and Immigration Statistics in Norway 2026
| Immigration Measure | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Total foreign citizens (1 Jan 2026) | 637,967 |
| Poland (largest group) | 109,513 |
| Ukraine (second-largest group) | 86,362 |
| Lithuania (third-largest group) | 48,279 |
| Sweden (fourth-largest group) | 33,567 |
| Germany (fifth-largest group) | 25,592 |
| Current immigrant share of total population | ~17% |
| Projected immigrant share by 2050 | ~22% |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Foreign Citizens by Citizenship and Sex, 1 January 2026
Foreign citizens residing in Norway numbered 637,967 as of 1 January 2026, with Poland contributing the single largest national group at 109,513 people — a legacy of sustained labor migration following Poland’s 2004 EU accession, particularly concentrated in construction, manufacturing, and service-sector employment. Ukraine ranks second at 86,362, reflecting the substantial humanitarian protection population that arrived following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, while Lithuania (48,279), Sweden (33,567), and Germany (25,592) round out the top five source countries.
SSB’s long-term projections anticipate Norway’s immigrant population will not only grow in absolute numbers but also become considerably more demographically established over time, with an increasing share having long residence histories in Norway and a growing presence in older age brackets rather than being concentrated among working-age arrivals as is currently more typical. This shift matters significantly for long-term population projections, since an ageing immigrant population will eventually contribute to Norway’s own domestic mortality and pension system dynamics in ways that differ from the traditionally younger, labor-migration-dominated immigrant cohorts the country has historically received.
Regional and Municipal Population Statistics in Norway 2026
| Regional Measure | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Counties projected to grow toward 2050 (main scenario) | All except Nordland |
| Fastest-growing county (projected to 2050) | Akershus (+20%) |
| Second-fastest growing county | Oslo (+16%) |
| Share of municipalities projected to grow | 63% |
| Only counties with births exceeding deaths by 2050 | Oslo and Rogaland |
| Municipalities with 70+ residents at ~1/3 of population by 2050 | Several (rural/remote) |
| Projection baseline date | 1 January 2026 |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Municipal Population Projections, 2026
Regional population trends across Norway point toward increasing concentration in the central-eastern part of the country, with SSB’s municipal-level projections showing Akershus and Oslo — the counties surrounding and including the capital region — set to grow by 20% and 16% respectively by 2050, the strongest growth rates nationally. Overall, 63% of Norwegian municipalities are projected to grow in population, while Nordland stands out as the only county expected to see its overall population decline under SSB’s main projection scenario, a pattern consistent with the broader rural-to-urban migration trend affecting much of Northern Europe.
This regional divergence carries significant implications for local demographic ageing as well. SSB projects that by 2050, Oslo and Rogaland will stand as the only two counties where births still outnumber deaths, meaning every other Norwegian county will rely entirely on net migration — whether domestic relocation or international immigration — to sustain or grow its population. Some remote and rural municipalities are projected to see nearly one-third of their population reach age 70 or older by 2050, presenting distinct healthcare, housing, and local service planning challenges compared with the younger, more immigration-driven demographic profile expected to persist in Oslo and other major urban centers.
Age Structure and Population Ageing Statistics in Norway 2026
| Age Structure Measure | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| 80-89 age group, annual growth | +6.4% |
| 80-89 age group, decade growth | +35.9% |
| 67-79 age group, annual growth | +1.1% |
| 67-79 age group, decade growth | +28.6% |
| 90+ population by 2050 (projected) | Nearly triple current level |
| 65+ population share, today | ~5% (90+ specifically) |
| 90+ population share by 2050 (projected) | 9.5% |
| 90+ population share by 2100 (projected) | Over 15% |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Population by Age; National Population Projections, 2026
Norway’s population is ageing at a pace that is already visibly reshaping its demographic structure. The 80-to-89 age group grew 6.4% in just the past year and 35.9% over the past decade, while the 67-to-79 age group grew 1.1% annually and 28.6% over ten years — both far outpacing growth among younger age cohorts. SSB’s projections show this trend accelerating dramatically further: the number of people aged 90 and older is expected to nearly triple by 2050, with their share of the total population climbing from roughly 5% today to 9.5% by 2050 and over 15% by 2100.
This ageing trajectory carries a historic structural milestone: Norway has, throughout virtually its entire recorded demographic history, had more children and young people (ages 0-19) than people aged 65 and older. SSB’s main projection scenario indicates this pattern will reverse for the first time in the early 2030s, with the number of people 65 and older exceeding the number of children and young people, and that gap continuing to widen in subsequent decades. By shortly after 2050, even the narrower 70-and-older population is projected to surpass the 0-to-19 age group nationally, cementing Norway’s transition toward a structurally older society despite its currently strong overall population growth rate.
Long-Term Population Projection Statistics for Norway
| Projection Milestone | Main Scenario Figure |
|---|---|
| Population, 2030 | ~5.75 million |
| Population, 2050 | ~6.2 million |
| Population, 2100 | ~6.4 million |
| Births exceed deaths until | ~2046 |
| Growth driver after 2046 | Immigration exclusively |
| 65+ overtakes 0-19 age group | Early 2030s |
| 70+ overtakes 0-19 age group | Shortly after 2050 |
| Projection publication frequency | Biennial |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Norway’s 2026 National Population Projections
SSB’s headline national population projections, published biennially and most recently updated for 2026, model 15 distinct combinations of assumptions covering fertility, life expectancy, and migration, though the agency identifies its “main alternative” (MMM) scenario — using medium assumptions across all three components — as the most plausible outlook. Under this main scenario, Norway’s population grows from just over 5.6 million today to 5.75 million by 2030, 6.2 million by 2050, and almost 6.4 million by 2100, representing sustained but gradually slowing growth across the remainder of this century.
SSB researchers, including Ane M. Tømmerås and colleagues, emphasize that regardless of which of the 15 projection alternatives is examined, Norway faces a strong, structural ageing trend that no realistic combination of fertility or migration assumptions can fully reverse within the projection horizon. The agency’s own documentation stresses that population projections are inherently uncertain the further into the future they extend, meaning near-term figures like the 2030 projection carry considerably more confidence than the 2100 estimate, which depends on multiple decades of compounding demographic assumptions that could shift meaningfully as actual fertility, mortality, and migration patterns unfold in ways that current models cannot fully anticipate.
Fertility, Births, and Natural Change Statistics in Norway 2026
| Fertility/Natural Change Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total fertility rate, 2009 (historical comparison) | ~1.98 |
| Total fertility rate, current estimate | ~1.40 |
| Replacement-level fertility (reference) | 2.1 |
| Natural increase status (2025, births vs. deaths) | Positive, but narrowing |
| Year natural increase turns negative (SSB projection) | ~2046 |
| Growth driver before 2046 | Births + immigration combined |
| Growth driver after 2046 | Immigration exclusively |
Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), Fertility Statistics; National Population Projections, 2026
Norway’s total fertility rate has fallen sharply over the past generation and a half, dropping from approximately 1.98 children per woman in 2009 to roughly 1.40 today — one of the steepest fertility declines recorded among wealthy nations over a single generation. This decline sits well below the replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1, the threshold at which a population would sustain itself without relying on immigration, and it has occurred despite Norway’s reputation for generous family policy, strong gender equality metrics, and substantial petroleum-funded social spending — factors that, on paper, would typically be associated with more resilient birth rates than the country is currently experiencing.
This fertility decline is precisely why SSB’s projection of births falling below deaths around 2046 carries such significant weight for long-term national planning. Until that point, Norway’s population growth will continue drawing from both natural increase and immigration simultaneously, but once natural increase turns negative, every subsequent year of population growth will depend entirely on net migration exceeding natural population loss — a structural shift that fundamentally changes how policymakers must think about long-term economic planning, pension sustainability, and workforce composition for the back half of this century.
Life Expectancy and Health Demographic Statistics in Norway 2026
| Life Expectancy Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total life expectancy at birth | ~83.5 years |
| Male life expectancy | ~81.9 years |
| Female life expectancy | ~85.0 years |
| Global average life expectancy (comparison) | ~73.8 years |
| Gap above global average | ~9.7 years |
| Median age, Norway (2026) | ~40-41 years |
| Global median age (comparison) | ~31 years |
Source: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division; Statistics Norway, 2026
Norway’s life expectancy ranks among the highest in the world, with total life expectancy at birth estimated at approximately 83.5 years — nearly a decade longer than the global average of 73.8 years. As is typical across nearly every country globally, Norwegian women outlive men by a meaningful margin, with female life expectancy around 85.0 years compared with 81.9 years for males, a gap researchers attribute to a combination of biological factors and historically higher rates of occupational and lifestyle-related health risks among men, even though that gap has narrowed somewhat in recent decades as gender differences in smoking, alcohol consumption, and workplace hazard exposure have diminished.
This combination of long life expectancy and declining fertility has pushed Norway’s median age to roughly 40 to 41 years, nearly 10 years older than the global median age of 31. Together, these health and longevity statistics reinforce the same underlying demographic story told by SSB’s age-structure data: Norway is a country where people are living substantially longer, having considerably fewer children, and where the resulting population pyramid is steadily shifting from its historical broad-based, younger-skewing shape toward a narrower, older-skewing structure more typical of advanced-economy nations facing similar demographic headwinds across Western Europe.
Ethnicity, Religion, and Population Composition Statistics in Norway 2026
| Composition Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Largest ethnic group | Norwegian (~81.5%) |
| Sami population (within Norwegian ethnic category) | ~60,000 |
| Second-largest category | “Other” (~9.6%) |
| Largest religious affiliation | Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran) (~68.1%) |
| SSB’s approach to ethnicity data | Does not track/quantify ethnicity officially |
| Population density (2026) | ~15-18 people per km² |
| Global population density ranking | Among the least densely populated (~210th) |
Source: World Population Review; Statistics Norway ethnicity/data policy notes, 2026
Estimates suggest ethnic Norwegians make up approximately 81.5% of the country’s population, a category that includes an estimated 60,000 Sami people, Norway’s indigenous population concentrated primarily in the country’s northern regions. It’s worth noting explicitly that Statistics Norway does not officially track or quantify ethnicity as a category in its own government statistics, a deliberate policy choice reflecting broader Nordic approaches to data privacy and historical sensitivities around ethnic classification; the ethnicity estimates cited by international demographic trackers therefore derive from external analysis rather than official SSB releases. The Church of Norway, an Evangelical Lutheran denomination that held official state church status for centuries, remains the largest religious affiliation at roughly 68.1% of the population, even as regular religious attendance and active practice have declined substantially in recent decades, mirroring broader secularization trends across Scandinavia.
Physically, Norway remains one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe, with a population density of roughly 15 to 18 people per square kilometer — placing it among the least densely populated nations globally, ranking somewhere near 210th worldwide despite its comparatively large population in absolute terms. This low density reflects the country’s extensive, often mountainous or arctic terrain, much of which remains sparsely inhabited even as the population concentrates increasingly in southern and central urban centers like Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger, consistent with the regional growth patterns detailed in SSB’s municipal population projections for the coming decades.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
