Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway
Norway: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 24.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Norway recorded 24.2% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway peaked at 24.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.3%, in 1950.
That places Norway 97th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 19.8% | 19.3% | 20.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 20.6% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 2 |
| 1970s | 20.2% | 20.0% | 20.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 20.4% | 20.3% | 20.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 20.9% | 20.6% | 21.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 22.2% | 22.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 23.7% | 23.5% | 23.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 24.2% | 24.2% | 24.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 94 Philippines 25.3% compare
- 95 Kyrgyzstan 24.9% compare
- 96 Saudi Arabia 24.3% compare
- 98 Colombia 24.1% compare
- 99 Azerbaijan 24.1% compare
- 100 Benin 23.9% compare
More population data for Norway
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 224,990 people (2100)
- Population density 14.86 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 123,981 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.1% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.41 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway was 24.2% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 24.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.3% in 1950.
- How does Norway rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Norway ranks 97th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.