14 per cent of population are immigrants

At the beginning of 2018, there were 746 700  immigrants and 170 000 Norwegian-born to immigrant parents in Norway. Immigrants accounted for 14.1 per cent of the total population in Norway as per 1 January 2018, while Norwegian-born to immigrant parents accounted for 3.2 per cent. These two groups have a background from 221 different countries and independent regions.

Immigrants from Syria had highest growth

In the Norwegian context, immigrants from Syria are a fairly new group of refugees, but they have had the highest growth in both 2016 and 2017. At the beginning of 2018, there were 27 400 immigrants from Syria, while the corresponding figure for the previous year was 20 800. Immigrants from Syria now make up the fifth largest group in Norway.

Polish immigrants still the largest group

Immigrants from Poland made up the largest immigrant group in the country, with 98 200 persons. The second largest group of immigrants is made up of Lithuanians, with 38 400 persons. Swedes are in third place with 35 800, followed by Somalians, with 28 800.

3.2 per cent Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

Norwegian-born to immigrant parents accounted for 3.2 per cent of the total population in Norway, or 170 000 persons as per 1 January 2018. Those with Pakistani parents made up the largest group of all Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, with 17 000. Norwegian-born to Somali parents were the second largest group (13 700), followed by those with parents from Poland (12 300).

In all municipalities

Persons with an immigrant background were resident in all Norwegian municipalities. Oslo had the largest population of immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, both in relative terms and absolute figures. A total of 168 700 of Oslo’s inhabitants were immigrants and 54 100 were Norwegian-born to immigrant parents as per 1 January 2018. These two figures combined constitute 33.1 per cent of the capital’s entire population.

All districts in Oslo were above the national average of 17.3 per cent. The suburbs with the highest proportions of persons with an immigrant background were Stovner. Søndre Nordstrand, Alna and Grorud, with over 50 per cent.