The population has increased by 6,200

Norway's population increased by 6,200 to 4,451,200 in the first three months of 1999. This amounts to an increase of 500 compared with the first quarter last year. Preliminary figures show that the growth is due to a large net immigration from abroad.

The population increased in all Eastern Norwegian counties except Hedmark and Oppland. The population also increased in the two Agder counties and in Rogaland, Hordaland, Møre og Romsdal and Sør-Trøndelag, while it decreased in Sogn og Fjordane and Nord-Trøndelag. All of the counties in Northern Norway increased their population.

Lower excess of births over deaths

The excess of births was low in the first quarter, amounting to 1,900. We have to go back to the same period in 1987 to find a correspondingly low excess of births. The reduction is mainly due to a greater number of deaths. Relative to the first quarter last year, the excess of births was reduced by 600. In the first quarter this year 14,650 children were born, an increase of about 200 from the same quarter last year. 12,700 people died, 750 more than last year. During the winter half of 1998/1999, there were 600 more deaths this year than there were a year ago.

There were more deaths than births in the counties of Hedmark, Oppland, Telemark, Buskerud, Østfold and Vestfold. The excess of births was greatest in Rogaland, Akershus and Hordaland counties.

High net immigration from abroad

As for last year during the same quarter there was a high net immigration from abroad. The figures from the first three months this year show a net immigration to Norway of 4,200. This is about 1,100 more than in the same period last year. 8,600 people moved to Norway, while 4,400 moved away from Norway. Asian citizens constituted 33 per cent of the net immigration from abroad, while citizens from the other Nordic countries accounted for 21 per cent.

New Statistics
Population statistics. Population 1 April 1999 and population changes in the first quarter.
The statistics are published quarterly in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in Current Population Statistics and in Official Statistics of Norway (NOS) Regional Statistics. For more information, contact: Kare.Reidar.Hoiby@ssb.no, tel.: +47 62 88 52 97 or Trude.Jakobsen@ssb.no, tel.: +47 62 88 51 39.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 21, 1999