Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, 1 January 2012

At the beginning of 1992, immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents totalled 183 000 persons, or 4.3 per cent of Norway’s population. Twenty years later, at the beginning of 2012, these groups had risen to 655 000 persons or 13.1 per cent of the population.

Record-high growth in 2011

Immigrants accounted for most of the population growth in 2011, with 46 200 persons. The increase in the number of immigrants is mostly a result of immigration from the new EU/EEA countries. As in the last few years, the number of Polish immigrants grew the most in 2011, by 10 500. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of Lithuanian immigrants, by 7 200.

The Poles are the largest immigrant group

Counting 72 100 persons, immigrants from Poland make up the largest immigrant group. More immigrants come from Poland alone than from the whole of Africa.

The second largest immigrant group consists of persons with a Swedish background (34 800). More immigrants come from Sweden than from the whole American continent.

The other large groups of immigrants are Germans (23 700), Lithuanians (22 700), Iraqis (21 800) and Somalians (21 000).

108 400 are Norwegian-born to immigrant parents

In 2011, the number of Norwegian-born to immigrant parents increased by 8 000, from 100 400 to 108 400 persons. Those with Pakistani parents made up the largest group of all Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, with 14 800. Norwegian-born to Somali parents were the second largest group (8 400), followed by those with parents from Vietnam (7 600). Norwegian-born to immigrant parents accounted for 16 per cent of all children born in Norway in 2011.

Many children and young adults

The immigrant population is made up of a relatively high number of young adults compared with the population as a whole. Among immigrants, 48 per cent were aged 20-40 years, while the corresponding figure for the population as a whole was 27 per cent.

Among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, children and young adults have always been in the majority. Eighty-two per cent in this group were aged 0-20 years, compared with 25 per cent in the population.

Immigrants in all municipalities

The five municipalities with the highest proportion of immigrants were Oslo (23 per cent), Drammen (18), Båtsfjord (17), Hemsedal (16) and Stavanger (16). Rindal and Beiarn had the lowest proportion with under two per cent.

The group of Norwegian-born to immigrant parents was mainly based in the Oslo area. In Oslo, Drammen, Lørenskog and Skedsmo they made up about five per cent of the population.

Tables:

• Table 1 Population 1 January 2011 and 2012 and changes in 2011, by immigration category and country background. Absolute numbers
• Table 2 Five different delimitations of persons with immigration background/foreign background, by citizenship and immigrant category. 1 January 2012
• Table 3 Three categories of immigration background , country of birth and citizenship by country background and sex. 1 January 2012
• Table 4 Persons with immigrant background by immigration category, country background and gender. 1 January 2012
• Table 5 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents and persons with other immigration background by sex, age and country background.1 January 2012. Absolute numbers and per cent
• Table 6 Population, immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrants by country background. 1970-2012. Absolute numbers and per cent
• Table 7 Population by Norwegian/foreign citizenship and country background. 1 January 2012
• Table 8 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by country background. County. 1 January 2012
• Table 9 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by country background and municipality. 1 January 2012. Absolute numbers and per cent
• Table 10 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by country of birth, (the 20 largest groups). Selected municipalities. 1 January 2012
• Table 11 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by country background. Urban districts of Oslo. 1 January 2011. Absolute numbers and per cent (Corrected 26 April 2012)
• Table 12 Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by two groups of country background and age. Urban districts of Oslo. 1 January 2012
• Table 13 Immigrants. by duration of stay, sex and country background. 1 January 2012