Norway

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 (2017)

Internet country code

.no

Internet users

total: 5,122,904 | percent of population: 97.3% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Telephone system

general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe | domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of mobile-cellular systems | international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA 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) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 863,855 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 5,718,740 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Agriculture - products

barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Budget

revenues: $200.6 billion | expenditures: $189.4 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Central bank discount rate

6.25% (31 December 2010) | 1.75% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 67

Commercial bank prime lending rate

1.5% (31 December 2016 est.) | 1.75% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Current account balance

$18.43 billion (2016 est.) | $33.75 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Debt - external

$642.3 billion (31 March 2016 est.) | $640.1 billion (31 March 2015 est.) | note: Norway is a net external creditor | country comparison to the world: 19

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26.8 (2010) | 25.8 (1995) | country comparison to the world: 139

Economy - overview

Norway has a stable economy with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway opted out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. | The country is richly endowed with natural resources in addition to oil and gas, including hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. Norway is a leading producer and the world’s second largest exporter of seafood, after China. The government manages the country’s petroleum resources through extensive regulation. The petroleum sector provides about 9% of jobs, 12% of GDP, 13% of the state’s revenue, and 37% of exports, according to official national estimates. Norway is one of the world's leading petroleum exporters, though oil production in 2016 was close to 50% below its peak in 2000; annual gas production, conversely, more than doubled over the same time period. After a continual decline from 2001 to 2013, oil production rose in 2016 for the third year running, due to the higher production of existing oil fields and to new fields coming on stream. | In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from petroleum sector activities in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at almost $900 billion as of early 2017. To help balance the federal budget each year, the government follows a “fiscal rule,” which states that spending of revenues from petroleum and fund investments shall correspond to the expected real rate of return on the fund, an amount it estimates is sustainable over time. In February 2017, the government revised the expected rate of return for the fund downward from 4% to 3%. | After solid GDP growth in the 2004-07 period, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to modest, positive growth from 2010 to 2016. Lower oil prices in 2015 and 2016 caused growth to slow, increased unemployment, and weakened the Norwegian krone. The latter trend has mitigated the negative impact of lower oil and gas prices by making Norwegian exports cheaper for foreign buyers. The government has expressed willingness to increase public spending from the sovereign wealth fund to help prevent a recession.

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - | 8.3978 (2016 est.) | 8.3978 (2015 est.) | 8.0646 (2014 est.) | 6.3021 (2013 est.) | 5.82 (2012 est.)

Exports

$88.88 billion (2016 est.) | $103.4 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners

UK 21%, Germany 14.4%, Netherlands 10.7%, France 6.9%, Sweden 6.5%, Belgium 4.4%, US 4.3%, Denmark 4% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$370.6 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$364.5 billion (2016 est.) | $356.1 billion (2015 est.) | $346.7 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 49

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 45.2% | government consumption: 24.5% | investment in fixed capital: 24% | investment in inventories: 5.3% | exports of goods and services: 34% | imports of goods and services: -33% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2.5% | industry: 31.7% | services: 65.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$69,400 (2016 est.) | $69,300 (2015 est.) | $68,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 13

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (2016 est.) | 1.6% (2015 est.) | 1.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Gross national saving

34.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 36.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 39.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.8% | highest 10%: 21.2% (2014)

Imports

$73.62 billion (2016 est.) | $75.41 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Germany 12.2%, Sweden 12.2%, China 11.2%, US 6.6%, Denmark 5.7%, UK 5.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

0.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2016 est.) | 2.2% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Labor force

2.78 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 2.1% | industry: 19.3% | services: 78.6% (2016 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$193.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $219.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $265.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

35.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 32% of GDP (2015 est.) | note: data cover general government debt, and includes 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 intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental 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 | country comparison to the world: 144

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$60.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $57.46 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Stock of broad money

$323.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $310 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$191.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $203 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$219.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $210.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Stock of domestic credit

$571.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $527.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Stock of narrow money

$214 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $199.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Taxes and other revenues

54.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Unemployment rate

4.7% (2016 est.) | 4.4% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

53.9 million Mt (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 58

Crude oil - exports

1.395 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Crude oil - imports

10,630 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Crude oil - production

1.648 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Crude oil - proved reserves

6.611 billion bbl (1 January 2017) | country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - consumption

133.1 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - exports

15.53 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - from fossil fuels

4.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

88.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - imports

5.7 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - installed generating capacity

33.85 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - production

149.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

5.23 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - exports

112 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - production

117.2 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.856 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 19

Refined petroleum products - consumption

227,700 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Refined petroleum products - exports

353,100 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Refined petroleum products - imports

124,500 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Refined petroleum products - production

282,400 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Area

total: 323,802 sq km | land: 304,282 sq km | water: 19,520 sq km | country comparison to the world: 69

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

mean elevation: 460 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m | highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

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-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

900 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 2,566 km | border countries (3): Finland 709 km, Sweden 1,666 km, Russia 191 km

Land use

agricultural land: 2.7% | arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0.5% | forest: 27.8% | other: 69.5% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 10 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

rockslides, avalanches | volcanism: 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

Administrative divisions

19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Capital

name: Oslo | geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

history: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814 | 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 2015 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway | conventional short form: Norway | local long form: Kongeriket Norge | local short form: Norge | etymology: derives from the Old Norse words "nordr" and "vegr" meaning "northern way" and refers to the long coastline of western Norway

Dependent areas

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James P. DEHART (since 12 January 2017) | embassy: Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo; | mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 | telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40 | FAX: [47] 22-44-33-63, 22-56-27-51

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Kare Reidar AAS (since 17 September 2013) | chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 | FAX: [1] (202) 459-3990 | consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) | head of government: Prime Minister Erna SOLBERG (since 16 October 2013) | cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament | 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

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 (declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

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, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, 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; justice retirement mandatory at age 70 | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmensrett; 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 proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 11 September 2017 (next to be held in September 2021) | election results: percent of vote by party - Ap 27.4%, H 25%, FrP 15.2%, SP 10.3%, SV 6%, V 4.4%, KrF 4.2%, MDG 3.2%, R 2.4%, other/invalid 1.9%; seats by party - Ap 49, H 45, FrP 27, SP 19, SV 11, V 8, KrF 8, MDG 1, R 1

National anthem

name: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) | lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK | note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, "Kongesangen" (Song of the King), which uses the tune of "God Save the Queen," serves as the royal anthem

National holiday

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Center Party or Sp [Trygve Slagsvold VEDUM] | Christian Democratic Party or KrF [Knut Arild HAREIDE] | Conservative Party or H [Erna SOLBERG] | Green Party or MDG [Rasmus HANSSON and Une Aina BASTHOLM] | Labor Party or Ap [Jonas Gahr STORE] | Liberal Party or V [Trine SKEI GRANDE] | Progress Party or FrP [Siv JENSEN] | Socialist Left Party or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise or NHO [Tore ULSTEIN, Kristin SKOGEN LUND] | Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions or LO [Hans-Christian GABRIELSEN] | other: environmental groups; media; digital privacy movements

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON 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. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (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.

Military branches

Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2017)

Military expenditures

1.62% of GDP (2016) | 1.5% of GDP (2015) | 1.47% of GDP (2014) | 1.41% of GDP (2013) | 1.4% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 72

Military service age and obligation

19-35 years of age for male and female compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 19-month service obligation (2017)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 490,915/female 466,515) | 15-24 years: 12.58% (male 343,103/female 326,053) | 25-54 years: 41.01% (male 1,125,334/female 1,056,330) | 55-64 years: 11.71% (male 315,223/female 307,639) | 65 years and over: 16.71% (male 409,057/female 479,876) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

12.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Death rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.1 | youth dependency ratio: 27.3 | elderly dependency ratio: 24.8 | potential support ratio: 4 | note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 21

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 83.2% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.3%, other 8.5% (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

9.7% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 27

Hospital bed density

3.85 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 221

Languages

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities | note: Sami is an official language in nine municipalities

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years | male: 79.8 years | female: 84 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Major urban areas - population

OSLO (capital) 986,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Median age

total: 39.2 years | male: 38.4 years | female: 40 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.9 years | note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Norwegian(s) | adjective: Norwegian

Net migration rate

5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.1% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 67

Physicians density

4.42 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

5,320,045 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Population distribution

most Norweigans 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

1.01% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Religions

Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 71.5%, Roman Catholic 2.8%, other Christian 3.9%, Muslim 2.8%, other 2%, unspecified 7.5% (2016 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 98% of population | rural: 98.3% of population | total: 98.1% of population | urban: 2% of population | rural: 1.7% of population | total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years | male: 17 years | female: 18 years (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female | total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 11.1% | male: 13% | female: 9.3% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Urbanization

urban population: 81% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.31% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Disputes - international

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 15,062 (Eritrea); 11,537 (Syria); 8,379 (Somalia); 6,568 (Afghanistan) (2016) | stateless persons: 3,251 (2016)

Airports

95 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 61

Airports - with paved runways

total: 67 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 | 914 to 1,523 m: 22 | under 914 m: 21 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 28 | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 | under 914 m: 22 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

LN (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 1,585 | by type: bulk carrier 99, general cargo 240, oil tanker 80, other 1,166 (2017) | country comparison to the world: 16

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 106 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,277,220 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Bergen, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Sture | LNG terminal(s) (export): Kamoy, Kollsnes, Melkoya Island | LNG terminal(s) (import): Fredrikstad, Mosjoen

Railways

total: 4,250 km | standard gauge: 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 41

Roadways

total: 93,870 km (includes 393 km of expressways) | paved: 75,754 km | unpaved: 18,116 km (2013) | country comparison to the world: 53

Waterways

1,577 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 51