Persons with refugee background, 1 January 2010

Out of the total population with a refugee background, 73 per cent have come to Norway as principal applicants and 27 per cent as dependents. Sixty-one per cent of the principal applicants were registered as asylum seekers and 21 per cent as resettlement refugees.

Most from Iraq

With a total of 19 800 persons, Iraqis make up the largest group. The second largest group consists of persons with a Somali background (17 700).

During 2009, 8 700 persons with a refugee background immigrated to Norway. A total of 6 200 of them were registered as principal applicants while 2 500 were dependents. Most of them came from Eritrea (1 600), Afghanistan (1 300) and Somalia (1 100).

Most in Oslo

All counties in Norway had persons with refugee backgrounds, but Oslo had the highest number and the highest proportion at the beginning of 2010. Around 27 per cent of the persons with refugee backgrounds lived in Oslo on 1 January 2010. Persons with refugee backgrounds made up 7 per cent of the city's total population.

Tables:

• Table 1 Different definitions of persons with refugee status, by country background and specified status. 1 January 2010
• Table 2 Persons with refugee background. Citizenship, duration of residence and country background. 1 January 2010
• Table 3 Persons with refugee background. Age and country background. 1 January 2010
• Table 4 Persons with refugee background. Citizenship, sex and country background. 1 January 2010
• Table 5 Persons with refugee background. Refugee status and county. 1 January 2010