Public corporations, structural business statistics (discontinued), 2011

During 2011, the 716 central government-owned enterprises were organised in the following major industrial classification areas: real estates activities (17.5 per cent), information and communication (16.8 per cent), professional, scientific and technical activities (14.1 per cent), mining and quarrying (13.8 per cent).

The major industrial classification areas for the local government-owned enterprises were real estate activities (20.2 per cent), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (16.4 per cent) and human health and social work activities (12.0 per cent ¹ ).

The number of publicly-owned enterprises has been changing from one period to the next over the past years. One explanation for the recent development is the fact that some of the major enterprises have been reorganised either as a result of takeovers or buying and selling. The number of enterprises fell from 2010 to 2011, however, there have still been more than 3 000 over the past six years. The reduction in the number of enterprises is mainly the result of mergers or closures.

Major business organisation forms

The central government-owned enterprises were mostly organised as limited companies or public limited companies. About 686 enterprises or 95.8 per cent had this type of business organisation form by the end of 2011. A total of 2 189 or 86.6 per cent of local government-owned enterprises were organised as limited companies. The number of municipal enterprises, county authority companies and inter municipal companies decreased significantly from 2008 to 2009. This is a result of many of these enterprises being reclassified from local government business units to local government management.

Geographical concentration

Nordland county had the highest number of local government-owned enterprises; about 237 enterprises or 9.4 per cent of the total number. Then followed Møre og Romsdal and Hordaland with 211 and 195 respectively. One explanation may be that these three counties have the largest number of municipalities. Local government-owned enterprises normally have their registered address in the municipality that has ownership.

In 2011, most of the central government-owned enterprises were located in the four major counties; Oslo, Rogaland, and Akershus, with 201, 123 and 109 enterprises respectively. Generally, about 60.5 per cent of the central government-owned enterprises were geographically located in these four counties. About 43.3 per cent of the enterprises were registered in Oslo and Akershus.

Tables:

• Table 1 Public non-financial corporation. Number. 2006-2011
• Table 2 Central government-owned enterprises, by industrial classification. Number and per cent. 2008-2011
• Table 3 Local government-owned enterprises, by industrial classification. Number and per cent. 2008-2011
• Table 4 Central government-owned enterprises, by organizational structure. Number and per cent. 2006-2011
• Table 5 Local government-owned enterprises, by organizational structure. Number and per cent. 2006-2011
• Table 6 Central government-owned enterprises, by county. Number and per cent. 2006-2011
• Table 7 Local government-owned enterprises, by county. Number and per cent. 2006-2011