Norway population pyramid 2026
5,652,989 people in 2026 (projected). Norway’s pyramid is propped up by immigration: net arrivals of about 700,000 since 2000 widened the adult bands as fertility fell to about 1.4.
- 2026 population
- 5.7Mrank 121 of 237
- Median age
- 40.1 yearsoldest rank 63
- Fertility rate
- 1.42births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older19.4% age 65+
Norway population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Norway age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 15.7% of the population, while 19.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.9% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Norway’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 54.1: about 54 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (24.2 children and 29.9 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Norway’s population pyramid
Growth from abroad
For most of the twentieth century Norway’s pyramid was shaped by births. Fertility was low in the 1930s, producing the waist visible at ages 35–44 in 1975, and high after the war, reaching about 2.9 children per woman around 1960. Since 2000, however, the main driver has been migration. The UN estimates net immigration of about 709,000 between 2000 and 2023, equal to roughly 13% of the 2023 population and about twice the natural increase of the same period. Much of it followed the enlargement of the European Union in 2004, when workers from Poland, Lithuania and other new member states moved to Norway, alongside refugees and family migrants.
The effect is visible in the shape of the chart. The widest bands in 2026 are 30–39, born around 1987–96 but enlarged by people who arrived as adults, and men outnumber women at almost every age up to the late sixties, by about 4 to 6 per 100 in the twenties to forties. The overall sex ratio, about 102 men per 100 women, is unusual for a country with such high life expectancy.
A recent fall in births
Fertility held close to two children per woman from the late 1980s to about 2010, then fell to about 1.4 by 2023. The pyramid records this as a narrowing base: each band below 30 is smaller than the one above, and the 0–4 band is about a third smaller than 35–39. In the UN medium scenario births pick up only slightly, and by 2050 the 0–4 band is projected to be slightly smaller than the 80–84 band. The guide to replacement-level fertility explains why rates of this level cannot sustain a population without migration.
Longevity with a small gender gap
Norway has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, and the gap between the sexes is small, about three years, so women become a clear majority only above 75. Deaths are projected to exceed births from 2036, and under the medium scenario the population peaks at about 5.9 million in 2050, before easing to about 5.4 million by 2100. The structure is closest to those of the United Kingdom and Sweden.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Norway’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2036. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2015 and 2020.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Norway is projected to record 53,084 births (about 145 births a day) and 44,359 deaths, a natural increase of 8,725. Net migration adds +12,047 people, ranking #51 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,368,057 births, 1,005,382 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +708,699. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +298,703 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 85.2 years73.3 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 82.3 years69.9 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.3 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 1.7per 1,000 births · 25 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 2.0per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 31.8 yearssex ratio at birth 106.1
Women in Norway are projected to live 2.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 25 to 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #227 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 31.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Norway
The median age of 40.1 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.42 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 83.8 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,652,989 | #121 | Largest first |
| Median age | 40.1 years | #63 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.42 | #190 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.4% | #151 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 83.8 years | #17 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 19.4% | #50 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Norway
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35–39 | 399,724 | 7.1% | 203.3K / 196.4K |
| 2 | 30–34 | 391,236 | 6.9% | 200.1K / 191.2K |
| 3 | 55–59 | 375,473 | 6.6% | 191.2K / 184.3K |
| 4 | 40–44 | 371,581 | 6.6% | 190.1K / 181.5K |
| 5 | 50–54 | 371,286 | 6.6% | 189.4K / 181.9K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Norway has 2,849,976 males and 2,803,012 females. That is 101.7 males per 100 females, ranking #50 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.4% of the population and females for 49.6%. There are 46,964 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 90.4 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Norway has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 3,265,191 in 1950 to 5,652,989 in 2026, a change of 73%. Over the same span, median age moved from 31.5 to 40.1 years.
The under-15 share changed from 24.2% to 15.7%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 9.6% to 19.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Norway’s population is projected to grow by about 4%, reaching 5,899,829 in 2050. The median age changes from 40.1 to 45.5 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 7.4 percentage points to 26.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 13.9%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 5,899,829 in 2050. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3,265,191 | 31.5 | 2.52 | 71.6 | 62,833 | 29,561 | −2,898 | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 3,581,121 | 33.4 | 2.85 | 73.6 | 60,834 | 32,457 | −1,427 | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 3,875,346 | 31.8 | 2.51 | 74.1 | 64,789 | 38,682 | −1,034 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 4,085,604 | 32.4 | 1.72 | 75.7 | 50,991 | 41,355 | +3,763 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 4,241,440 | 34.4 | 1.93 | 76.6 | 60,908 | 46,085 | +1,818 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 4,490,867 | 35.8 | 1.85 | 78.7 | 59,170 | 44,031 | +9,805 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 4,889,162 | 37.7 | 1.94 | 81.0 | 60,651 | 41,438 | +42,865 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 5,379,274 | 39.0 | 1.48 | 83.2 | 53,029 | 40,591 | +11,277 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 5,519,167 | 39.5 | 1.40 | 83.3 | 51,545 | 44,143 | +53,806 | +1.1% |
| 2024* | 5,576,660 | 39.7 | 1.41 | 83.5 | 52,516 | 43,095 | +44,356 | +1.0% |
| 2026* | 5,652,989 | 40.1 | 1.42 | 83.8 | 53,084 | 44,359 | +12,047 | +0.4% |
| 2030* | 5,729,094 | 41.3 | 1.44 | 84.3 | 52,372 | 47,695 | +12,264 | +0.3% |
| 2040* | 5,853,870 | 44.0 | 1.47 | 85.6 | 53,790 | 56,898 | +11,256 | +0.1% |
| 2050* | 5,899,829 | 45.5 | 1.50 | 86.8 | 51,105 | 62,514 | +11,797 | +0.0% |
| 2060* | 5,857,873 | 47.2 | 1.51 | 87.9 | 48,147 | 67,288 | +11,434 | -0.1% |
| 2070* | 5,765,482 | 48.3 | 1.53 | 88.9 | 48,234 | 67,481 | +9,812 | -0.2% |
| 2080* | 5,665,345 | 48.5 | 1.54 | 90.0 | 47,195 | 68,744 | +9,828 | -0.2% |
| 2090* | 5,535,168 | 48.8 | 1.55 | 91.0 | 45,077 | 67,112 | +9,208 | -0.2% |
| 2100* | 5,413,618 | 49.3 | 1.55 | 92.1 | 44,291 | 65,239 | +8,417 | -0.2% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 140,059 | 132,625 | 272,684 | 4.8% |
| 5–9 | 151,267 | 143,378 | 294,645 | 5.2% |
| 10–14 | 163,570 | 155,262 | 318,832 | 5.6% |
| 15–19 | 176,754 | 167,554 | 344,308 | 6.1% |
| 20–24 | 180,340 | 173,167 | 353,507 | 6.3% |
| 25–29 | 189,269 | 178,897 | 368,166 | 6.5% |
| 30–34 | 200,079 | 191,157 | 391,236 | 6.9% |
| 35–39 | 203,297 | 196,427 | 399,724 | 7.1% |
| 40–44 | 190,109 | 181,472 | 371,581 | 6.6% |
| 45–49 | 181,663 | 173,602 | 355,265 | 6.3% |
| 50–54 | 189,351 | 181,935 | 371,286 | 6.6% |
| 55–59 | 191,155 | 184,318 | 375,473 | 6.6% |
| 60–64 | 172,151 | 166,688 | 338,839 | 6.0% |
| 65–69 | 151,292 | 150,726 | 302,018 | 5.3% |
| 70–74 | 131,194 | 136,127 | 267,321 | 4.7% |
| 75–79 | 112,980 | 120,577 | 233,557 | 4.1% |
| 80–84 | 76,099 | 89,094 | 165,193 | 2.9% |
| 85–89 | 34,547 | 49,061 | 83,608 | 1.5% |
| 90–94 | 11,941 | 22,790 | 34,731 | 0.6% |
| 95–99 | 2,608 | 7,151 | 9,759 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 253 | 1,003 | 1,256 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Norway’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- United Kingdom98% overlap · median age 40.2
- Sweden97% overlap · median age 40.4
- Australia97% overlap · median age 38.5
- Belgium97% overlap · median age 42.1
- United States97% overlap · median age 38.7
- New Zealand97% overlap · median age 38.0
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Norway.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Norway Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/norway/
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“Norway Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/norway/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Norway Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/norway/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Norway in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Norway's population in 2026 is projected at 5,652,989.
What is the median age in Norway?
The projected median age in Norway in 2026 is 40.1 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Norway?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.42 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Norway's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 4%, from 5.7M to 5.9M.
What share of Norway is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 19.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 26.8%.
How many babies are born in Norway each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 53,084 births and 44,359 deaths in 2026, about 145 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 8,725.
What is life expectancy in Norway for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 85.2 years for women and 82.3 years for men, a gap of 2.9 years in favour of women.
Does Norway have more immigrants or emigrants?
Norway is projected to gain about 12,047 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +708,699.
What is the sex ratio in Norway?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 101.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.