Population and population change, Q4 2010

Population growth increased again in 2010 after a small decline in 2009. Seen in relation to the population there was a population growth of 1.3 per cent. Since 1900, percentage growth has only been higher in 1920 and 2008.

Net migration from abroad increased by 3 700 or 9.6 per cent from 2009 to 2010, and 409 municipalities had a positive net migration. There were 73 850 registered migrations to Norway from abroad in 2010; an increase of 13.3 per cent. A total of 31 500 moved from the country and this is about 5 000 more persons than last year.

A small decrease in fertility rate, but life expectancy still rises

There were 61 442 children born in 2010; 365 fewer than in 2009. A total of 41 500 persons died; 50 more than in 2009.

Total fertility rate for 2010 was 1.95, while the rate was 1.98 in 2009 and ranged between 1.66 and 1.75 in the middle of the 1980s.

A boy born in 2010 has a life expectancy of 78.85 years (up from 78.60 in 2009), while a girl can expect to be 83.15 years (compared to 83.05 in 2009). This is high compared to the rest of Europe.

Net migration from abroad increased from 38 600 in 2009 to 42 350 in 2010 and is roughly as high as in 2008. The largest surplus consists of citizens from Poland, Lithuania and Sweden, and these are mainly labour immigrants. Thereafter we find citizens from Eritrea, Latvia and Afghanistan. Citizens from Somalia also emigrate to Norway in large numbers. Comparing emigration and immigration, it was mostly Swedes who left the country, 56 per cent, and fewest Latvian citizens, 1 per cent only.

Oslo had the highest population growth with 2.1 per cent and passed the limit of 600 000 in January 2011. It is both the high immigration from abroad and a high excess of births that caused the high population growth in Oslo.

The population in Rogaland and Akershus grew by 1.9 and 1.7 per cent respectively in 2010. In Akershus, the municipalities around the Gardermoen airport grew in particular, with high net migration and high birth surplus. A total of 2 500 more persons moved to than from the county in 2010.

Østfold, with many municipalities located within a convenient commuting distance to Oslo, had high domestic net migration from the rest of the country. The population increased in every county, except for Finnmark and Troms, which had the highest domestic migration loss.

Akershus at domestic net migration top

In relative terms, Akershus had the highest domestic net migration in the 4th quarter by 0.14 per cent in relation to the population at the beginning of the quarter, while Finnmark in the same quarter had the highest net migration from abroad by 0.28 per cent, followed by Møre and Romsdal and Oslo by 0.27 and 0.26 per cent.

Calculated in per cent of the population, Oslo had the highest population growth with 0.39 per cent, while Telemark had the lowest with 0.05 per cent only. Hedmark had the largest birth deficit, followed by Oppland and Telemark, while Oslo and Rogaland also had the largest surplus in the 4th quarter.

The municipalities Osen, Kvitsøy and Skaun had the highest percentages of excess births, while we find Utsira, Engerdal and Etnedal at the bottom of the list with the highest birth deficit.

Tables:

• Table 1 Population per 1 January 2011 and population changes during 4rd quarter of 2010
• Table 2 Population per 1 January 2011 and population changes in 2010. Final figures