Question: What is the major ethnic group in Norway?

Demographics of Norway




Historical populationYearPop.±%1100,000—1000450,000+350.0%1500250,000−44.4%1665440,000+76.0%1769723,618+64.5%1801883,603+22.1%18251,051,318+19.0%18351,194,827+13.7%18551,490,047+24.7%18751,813,424+21.7%18851,951,429+7.6%18952,097,328+7.5%19002,242,995+6.9%19102,390,402+6.6%19202,653,024+11.0%19302,815,164+6.1%19402,982,224+5.9%19503,280,296+10.0%19603,594,771+9.6%19703,888,305+8.2%19804,092,340+5.2%19904,249,830+3.8%20004,478,497+5.4%20104,858,199+8.5%20185,295,619+9.0%Source:   .
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Norway, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Total population
The total population of Norway on 1 January 2018 was 5,295,619.[2] Statistics Norway estimated that the 5,000,000 milestone was reached on 19 March 2012.[3]
Population growth rate in 2017
Norway: 0.7%
Northern Norway: 0.3%
Southern Norway: 1.0%
Eastern Norway: 0.9%
Trøndelag: 0.9%
Western Norway: 0.3%
Total Fertility Rate from 1850 to 1899
The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.[4]












Vital statistics since 1900
Data according to Statistics Norway, which collects the official statistics for Norway.[5]

Current natural increase
[7]
Births from January–September 2017 =  43,890
Births from January–September 2018 =  42,782
Deaths from January–September 2017 =  30,443
Deaths from January–September 2018 =  30,827
Natural increase from January–September 2017 =  13,447
Natural increase from January–September 2018 =  11,955
Total fertility rate

Life expectancy at birth from 1846 to 2015
Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1543-1950










1950-2015

Source: UN World Population Prospects[9]
Ethnicity

Ethnically, the residents of Norway are predominantly Norwegians, a North Germanic ethnic group descent. In Northern Norway live the Sami, who claim descent from people who settled the area around 8,000 years ago, probably from continental Europe through the Norwegian coast and through Finland along the inland glaciers. As of 2012, an official government study shows that 86.2% of the total population are ethnic Norwegians.[10] The national minorities of Norway include Scandinavian Romani, Roma, Jews, and Kvener, as well as a small Finnish community.
In the last decades, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Norway had a steady influx of immigrants from South Asia (mostly Pakistanis and Sri Lankans), East Asia (mainly Chinese), and Southeast Asia (e.g. Filipinos), Eastern Europe (e.g. Russians and Poles), Southern Europe (Greeks, Albanians and people from former Yugoslavia etc.), and Middle East countries (especially Iraqis and Palestinians), as well as Somalis, Turks, Moroccans, and some Latin Americans. After ten Eastern European and Baltic countries joined the EU in 2004, there has also been a substantial influx of people from Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Immigrants constituted 13% of the population at the start of 2015, and an additional 2.6% were born in Norway by immigrant parents[11] (up from 8,3% and 1,5% in 2006[12]). The same year, 19% of births in Norway were to immigrant parents.[11] In 2006, non-Western immigrants constituted 75% of the total number of immigrants. They contribute much of the population growth. Among people of African descent in Oslo, almost 60% are younger than 30, compared to 20% of those of North American background.[12]
As of 2012, an official government study shows that more than 660,000 individuals (13.8%) are migrants and their descendants (110,000 second generation migrants born in Norway).[10]
Of these 660,000 immigrants and their descendants:
335,000 (51%)[10] have a Western background (Australia, New Zealand, North America, elsewhere in Europe)
325,000 (49%)[10] have a non-Western background.
In 2012, of the total 660 000 with immigrant background, 407,262 had Norwegian citizenship (62.2 percent).[13]
Immigrants were represented in all Norwegian municipalities. 
The cities or municipalities with the highest share of immigrants in 2012 was Oslo (26 percent) and Drammen (18 percent).[14] The share in Stavanger was 16%.[14]  According to Reuters, Oslo is the "fastest growing city in Europe because of increased immigration".[15] In recent years, immigration has accounted for most of Norway's population growth.[12]


Genetics of the native people of Norway
Y-chromosome DNA
Y-Chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) represents the male lineage, The Norwegian Y-chromosome pool may be summarized as follows where haplogroups  R1 & I comprise generally more than 85% of the total chromosomes.[18]
I ~ 55%
R1 ~ 35%
NOP ~ 5%
Other Haplogroups ~ 5%
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA mtDNA represents the female lineage, Haplogroup H represent about 40% of the Norwegian mitochondrial DNA lineages[19]
H ~ 40%
JT ~ 23%
UK ~ 22%
IWX ~ 5%
V ~ 5%
Other lineages ~ 5%
Immigration

As of 2012, an official study shows that the quotient of the total population that is either born outside Norway, or has one or two parents born abroad, or has one or more grandparents born abroad is 1,100,000 to 5,017,500 (which equals 21.9%).[20]
About a half million of these, however, identify as ethnic Norwegians who may have, for example, Swedish or Danish ancestors. As of 2012, an official government study shows that 86.2%[10] of the total population are ethnic Norwegians and more than 660,000 individuals (13.8%)[10] are migrants and their descendants (110,000[10] second generation migrants born in Norway).
Of these 660,000 immigrants and their descendants:
335,000 (51%)[10] have a Western background (Australia, New Zealand, North America, elsewhere in Europe)
325,000 (49%)[10] have a non-Western background.
Other demographic statistics

Norway is an ancient country and it is claimed that as far back as 1665, there were already 440,000 people living here. Despite wars, steady growth through the ages has continued to the point where the Norway population in 2014 now stands at approximately 5,091,246.[21]
Historical landmarks were reached in 1825, when the population of Norway hit 1,051,318 and thereby exceeded one million for the first time in the country’s history and in 1900, the numbers had reached 2,240,032.[21]
Throughout the 20th century, population growth was steady and on a census by census basis, it generally increased in that century by between 3% and 4%.[21]
The following demographic statistics are from the World Population Review.[21]
One birth every 4 minutes
One death every 5 minutes
One net migrant every 11 minutes
Net gain of one person every 8 minutes
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[6]
Population
5,320,045 (July 2017 est.)
3,570,554 (1960)
2,376,952 (1910)
1,583,525 (1860)
Population - comparative
Slightly greater than British Columbia, but slightly less than Singapore and Eritrea.
Total fertility rate
1.85 children born/woman (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 145th
Median age
total: 39.2 years Country comparison to the world: 57th
male: 38.4 years
female: 40 years (2017 est.)
total: 39.7 years (2010 est.)
male: 38.8 years
female: 40.5 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
28.9 years
Note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births (2015 est.)
Population growth rate
1.01% (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 113rd
Birth rate
12.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 164th
Death rate
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Net migration rate
5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 17
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81.9 years Country comparison to the world: 18th
male: 79.8 years
female: 84 years (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births Country comparison to the world: 221st
male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18% (male 490,915/female 466,515) (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 12.58% (male 343,103/female 326,053)
25-54 years: 41.01% (male 1,125,334/female 1,056,330)
55-64 years: 11.71% (male 315,223/female 307,639)
65 years and over: 16.71% (male 409,057/female 479,876)
0–14years: 18.8% (male 472,060; female 449,649) (2011 est)
15–64years: 66.2% (male 1,662,852; female 1,593,501)
65years and over: 15.0% (male 325,937; female 416,306)
0–14years: 26.0% (male 476,748; female 452,559) (1960 est) 
15–64years: 63.0% (male 1,125,525; female 1,123,206)
65years and over: 11.0% (male 175,485; female 214,184)
0–14years: 35.0% (male 423,253; female 408,204)  (1910 est) 
15–64years: 57.3% (male 640,835; female 722,443)
65years and over: 7.7% (male 82,312; female 99,905)
0–14years: 35.9% (male 288,510; female 280,249) (1860 est.) 
15–64years: 58.0% (male 446,391; female 472,405)
65years and over: 6.1% (male 42,130; female 53,840)
Ethnic groups
Norwegian 83.2% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.3%, other 8.5% (2017 est.)
Languages
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
note: Sami has three dialects: Lule, North Sami, and South Sami; Sami is an official language in nine municipalities in Norway's three northernmost countries: Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms
Religions
Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 71.5%, Roman Catholic 2.8%, other Christian 3.9%, Muslim 2.8%, other 2%, unspecified 7.5% (2016 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 52.1 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 27.3
elderly dependency ratio: 24.8
potential support ratio: 4
Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Urbanization
urban population: 82.2% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 18 years
male: 17 years
female: 18 years (2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 11.1% Country comparison to the world: 118th
male: 13%
female: 9.3% (2016 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 
15–64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female
Religion

The Lutheran Church of Norway is the former state church and the vast majority remain at least nominal members. Other religions do, however, enjoy religious freedom and have prospered with immigration in recent years, particularly Islam and Roman Catholicism. Saint Olaf is the patron saint of Norway. He is regarded by some as the eternal king and has a reputation and place in history unchallenged by any other Norwegian King for the last 1000 years.

Language

Official languages
Norwegian (the written standards Bokmål and Nynorsk). 
Five Uralic languages – Finnish, South Sami, Lule Sami, North Sami and Kven – are additional official languages of some municipalities.
See also
Norway
Demographics of Svalbard
Aging of Europe
Notes