NORWAY

Ethnically, Norwegians are predominantly Germanic, although in the far north there are communities of Sami (Lapps) who came to the area more than 10,000 years ago, probably from central Asia. In recent years, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total nearly 150,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.

POPULATION GRAPH

Population:

4,660,539 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.5% (male 441,508/female 422,050) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,564,482/female 1,522,519) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 305,120/female 404,860) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years male: 38.5 years female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.341% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Birth rate:

10.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Death rate:

9.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Net migration rate:

1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Urbanization:

urban population: 77% of total population (2008)

Sex ratio:

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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 214 male: 3.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.95 years country comparison to the world: 24 male: 77.29 years female: 82.74 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Nationality:

noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:

Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 estimate)

Religions:

Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Languages:

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006)

Education expenditures: