Demographics of Norway
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Image:Diversity of youth in Oslo Norway.jpg
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Who lives in Norway
Although there always has been some level of population exchange between Norway and its neighboring countries, as well as within Norway, population patterns since the Viking era have been fairly stable in Norway. Natural geographic barriers, and widespread dependence on agriculture, fishery, and other primary industries have contributed to persistent local and regional communities, most of them rural.
Population: 4,631,799 (November 2005)
Population growth rate: 0.41% (2004 est.)
Ethnicity and nationality
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnically, the residents of Norway are predominantly Germanic, although in the far north there are communities of Sami who settled the area more than 10,000 years ago, probably from central Siberia. In recent years Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world (mostly from Europe and Asia). Immigrants now total nearly 300,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.
Ethnic and/or national origin: ethnic Norwegians 92.7% Swedes 0.7% Danes 0.6% Peoples of the former Yugoslavia 0.5% British 0.3% Americans 0.2% Germans 0.2% Iraqis 0.2% Pakistanis 0.2% Somalis 0.1% Finns 0.1% Iranians 0.1% others 3.7% Sami 20,000
Age and sex distribution
Age structure: (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 19.7% (male 466, 243; female 443,075)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 1,234,384; female 1,486,887)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 285,389; female 392,331)
Sex ratio: (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female
Religion
Main article: Religion in Norway
The Lutheran Church of Norway is the state church. However, Norway has religious freedom according to the constitution.
Official statistics (2003): Lutheran 86% (state church), other Christian 4.5% (mainly Protestant [3.5%] and Roman Catholic) [1%]), Islam 2%, other religions 1%, Human Ethical 1.5%, none and unknown 5%.
Population growth
Image:Basic demographics of Norway 1900 2000.PNG
Population: 4,631,799 (November 2005)
Population growth rate: 0.41% (2004 est.)
Fertility and mortality
Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Birth rate: 11.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: 9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: (2004 est.)
total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.34 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: (2004 est.)
total population: 79.25 years
male: 76.64 years
female: 82.01 years
Migration
Net migration rate: 1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Where people live in Norway
What people do in Norway
Literature and arts
Main article: Culture of Norway
Norway is in the top rank of nations in the number of books printed per capita. Famous Norwegian writers are the dramatist Henrik Ibsen, Ludvig Holberg, Knut Hamsun and Sigrid Undset. Artists Edvard Munch and Christian Krogh were Ibsen's contemporaries. Munch drew part of his inspiration from Europe and in turn exercised a strong influence on later European expressionists. Sculptor Gustav Vigeland has a permanent exhibition in the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frognerparken in Oslo. Musical development in Norway since Edvard Grieg has followed either native folk .
Sports
Language
Main article: Norwegian language
Official languages: Norwegian (the written standards Bokmål and Nynorsk).
The three Finnic languages, Finnish, Sami and Kainu (since 2005) - a.k.a. the Kven language - are additional official languages of a small number of municipalities.
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Welfare services
Education is free through the university level and is compulsory from ages 6 to 16. At least 12 months of military service and training are required of every eligible male. Norway's health system includes free hospital care, physician's compensation, cash benefits during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans. There is a public pension system.