Map of Norway | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.


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Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 323,802 km²
Land: 304,282 km²
Water: 19,520 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico
Country comparison total: 2,566 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km

Land boundaries
Total: 2,566 km
Border countries: (3) Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km

Coastline: 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 10 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation
Highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
Lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 460 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 2.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 27.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 69.5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 337 km² (2016)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 780 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1.07 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 393 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: rockslides, avalanches
Volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Geography
Note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world


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Population
Distribution: most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Total: 5,509,733
Male: 2,780,972
Female: 2,728,761 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.59% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 12.2% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Norwegian(s)
Adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups: Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.)

Languages: Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Major-language samples: Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: Sami has three dialects (Lule, North Sami, and South Sami) and is an official language in nine municipalities in the northernmost counties of Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms

Religions: Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 67.5%, Muslim 3.1%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 2.6%, unspecified 19.9% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 461,979/female 438,243)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,820,692/female 1,734,818)
65 years and over: 19.1% (2024 est.) (male 498,301/female 555,700)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 54
Youth dependency ratio: 26.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 27.9
Potential support ratio: 3.6 (2021 est.)
Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Median age
Total: 40.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.1 years
Female: 41.5 years

Population growth rate: 0.59% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 84% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Major urban areas
Population: 1.086 million OSLO (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 6.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 41.02 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 4.81 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 29.8 years (2020 est.)
Note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births

Maternal mortality ratio: 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 81.3 years
Female: 84.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 3.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 6.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 16.2% (2020 est.)
Male: 17% (2020 est.)
Female: 15.4% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 18 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 19 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 10.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
Conventional short form: Norway
Local long form: Kongeriket Norge
Local short form: Norge
Etymology: derives from the Old Norse words 'nordr' and 'vegr' meaning 'northern way' and refers to the long coastline of western Norway

Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Oslo
Geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the medieval name was spelt 'Aslo'; the as component refered either to the Ekeberg ridge southeast of the town ('as' in modern Norwegian), or to the Aesir (Norse gods); lo refered to 'meadow,' so the most likely interpretations would have been either 'the meadow beneath the ridge' or 'the meadow of the gods'; both explanations are considered equally plausible

Administrative divisions: 12 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Agder, Innlandet, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oslo, Rogaland, Romsdal, Troms og Finnmark, Trondelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Vestland, Viken (2024)

Dependent areas

Independence: 7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of petty Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution
History: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814
Amendments: proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament; amended over 400 times, last in 2023

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr STORE (since 14 October 2021)
Cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 13 September 2021 (next to be held by September 2025)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - Ap 26.3%, H 20.5%, SP 13.6%, FrP 11.7%, SV 7.6%, R 4.7%, V 4.6%, MDG 3.9%, KrF 3.8%, PF 0.2%, other 3.1%; seats by party - Ap 48, H 36, SP 28, FrP 21, SV 13, R 8, V 8, , KrF 3, MDG 3, PF 1; composition - men 94, women 75, percentage women 44.4%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices)
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmennsrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts
Note: in addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts

Political parties and leaders: Center Party or Sp , Christian Democratic Party or KrF , Conservative Party or H , Green Party or MDG , Labor Party or Ap , Liberal Party or V, Patient Focus or PF , Progress Party or FrP , Red Party or R , Socialist Left Party or SV

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Anniken Scharning HUITFELDT (since 18 September 2024)
In the us chancery: 2,720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,000
In the us fax: [1] (202) 469-3,990
In the us email address and website: emb.washington@mfa.no; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sharon HUDSON-DEAN (since February 2024)
From the us embassy: Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo
From the us mailing address: 5,460 Oslo Place, Washington DC 20,521-5,460
From the us telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40
From the us fax: [47] 22-56-27-51
From the us email address and website: OsloACS@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)

National symbols: lion; national colors: red, white, blue

National anthem
Name: 'Ja, vi elsker dette landet' (Yes, We Love This Country)
Lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
Note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, 'Kongesangen' (Song of the King), which uses the tune of 'God Save the King,' serves as the royal anthem

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: high-income, non-EU economy with trade links via European Economic Area (EEA); key European energy security role as leader in oil, gas, and electricity exports; major fishing, forestry, and extraction industries; oil sovereign fund supports generous welfare system; low unemployment; inflation and response hampering growth in non-energy sectors

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $499.528 billion (2023 est.); $496.973 billion (2022 est.); $482.472 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 0.51% (2023 est.); 3.01% (2022 est.); 3.91% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $90,500 (2023 est.); $91,100 (2022 est.); $89,200 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 37.5% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 21.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 47.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -32.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.1% (2023 est.)
Industry: 39% (2023 est.)
Services: 50% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, pork, chicken, beef, eggs, rye (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 0.22% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.009 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.58% (2023 est.); 3.23% (2022 est.); 4.37% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 11% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 10.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $334.543 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $174.546 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 31.27% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 36.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.52% (2023 est.); 5.76% (2022 est.); 3.48% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $86.368 billion (2023 est.); $177.149 billion (2022 est.); $66.254 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $228.625 billion (2023 est.); $327.706 billion (2022 est.); $203.228 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 27%, UK 21%, France 9%, Belgium 7%, Sweden 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: natural gas, crude petroleum, fish, refined petroleum, aluminum (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $157.032 billion (2023 est.); $161.645 billion (2022 est.); $140.331 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Sweden 18%, Germany 11%, China 10%, Denmark 6%, Netherlands 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, ships, garments, nickel (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $80.459 billion (2023 est.); $72.077 billion (2022 est.); $84.271 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 40.54 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 121.899 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 25.792 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 13.259 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 8.951 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 10.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 88.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 117,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.201 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 84,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.204 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 2 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 2.02 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 229,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 8.122 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 123.727 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 4.548 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 121.285 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 67.96 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.544 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 38.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 3.231 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 26.72 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 8.977 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 201.034 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 140,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 6.015 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 111 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.8% of GDP (2023); 1.5% of GDP (2022); 1.7% of GDP (2021); 2% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret or 'the Defense'): Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Norwegian Special Forces, Norwegian Cyber Defense Force, Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2024)
Note: the national police have primary responsibility for internal security; the National Police Directorate, an entity under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, oversees the police force

Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women volunteers; 12-19 month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months between the ages of 19 and 28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2024)
Note 1: Norway has had compulsory military service since 1907; individuals conscripted each year are selected from a larger cohort who are evaluated through online assessments and physical tests
Note 2: Norway was the first NATO country to allow women to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1985); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014; as of 2023, women comprised about 20% of the military's full-time personnel
Note 3: beginning in 1995, the military began offering Icelandic citizens the opportunity to apply for admission to officer schools in Norway with an associated education and service contract under special reasons and based on recommendations from Icelandic authorities; as early as 1996, Norway and Iceland entered into a cooperation agreement on the voluntary participation of Icelandic personnel in Norwegian force contributions in foreign operations

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 125

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: LN

Airports: 145 (2024)

Heliports: 77 (2024)

Pipelines: 8,520 km gas, 1,304 km oil/condensate (2017)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 95,120 km (2022)

Waterways: 1,577 km (2010)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 15,901 (Syria), 10,883 (Eritrea) (mid-year 2022); 70,085 (Ukraine) (as of 8 March 2024)
Stateless persons: 3,901 (2022)

Illicit drugs