High population growth in 2010

The population of Norway is estimated to be about 4 923 000 persons at the end of the year. This figure represents a population growth of 65 000 persons, or 1.3 per cent, according to Statistics Norway (SSB).

An annual population growth of 65 000 is the highest result ever; 2,700 higher than the previous peak in 2008 and 5 800 higher than in 2009, SSB reports.

Close to one third of the increase will be due to the birth surplus, while slightly more than two-thirds come from migration surplus from abroad. Looking to earlier figures, the birth surplus in the middle of the 1990s was around 70 per cent.

A net migration from abroad of 44 500 will be the highest result ever recorded, 1 100 higher than in 2008. A birth excess of 20 500 will be roughly as high as last year, and we must go back to 1974 to find higher figures.

Population growth in the big cities and in the central areas continues. Oslo grew by 12 600 persons, Bergen by 4 200 and Trondheim by 2 700.

In Rogaland, the population growth is high in Stavanger and Sandnes and in the municipalities at Jæren, which is likely to grow as much as Stavanger. Cities in Aust-Agder like Lillesand and Arendal, and several other municipalities in the county, have high population growth.

Municipalities in Romerike in Akershus, like Skedsmo, Ullensaker, Gjerdrum and Eidsvoll grow a lot in percentage, while many municipalities in northern Norway lose much of their population in terms of percentage.

NRK/Press release)

Friday, 17 December 2010 08:08