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.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 19.3% | — |
| 1955 | 20.2% | +4.6% |
| 1960 | 20.6% | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 20.6% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 20.5% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 20.0% | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 20.3% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 20.6% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 20.6% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 21.2% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 22.6% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 23.5% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 23.8% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | +1.7% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 24.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 83% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Norway's 24.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.1%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1866 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1496 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.6612 Percent per annum (2030)
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.