Demographics of Western Norway

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A picture from Bergen fish market, taken between 1890 and 1905 Fish market, Bergen, Norway (LOC).jpg
A picture from Bergen fish market, taken between 1890 and 1905
Buoy, a neighbourhood in Stavanger Buoy.jpg
Buøy, a neighbourhood in Stavanger
Some parts of western Norway have small populations, such as here at Stalheim, Voss. From the Stalheim.jpg
Some parts of western Norway have small populations, such as here at Stalheim, Voss.

The Western Norway region of Norway showed the highest population growth rate in Norway in 2010, at 1.44%. The fertility rate in this region is higher than in other parts of Norway. The population as of 1 January 2010 was 1,263,464, with 37.7% of the population living in Hordaland, 33.8% in Rogaland, 19.8% in Møre og Romsdal, and 8.4% in Sogn og Fjordane. 60% of the population is under 40 years old, and 30% is under 20 years old. Many of the historical immigrants in Western Norway came from countries like Scotland, England, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Western Norway is the part of Norway which has the largest immigration from the western world.

Contents

The following demographic statistics are from the Statistics Norway, unless otherwise indicated.

Historical population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1769193,259    
1801230,053+19.0%
1855392,588+70.7%
1900560,765+42.8%
1950811,411+44.7%
1955846,977+4.4%
1960887,537+4.8%
1965919,909+3.6%
1970961,676+4.5%
19751,002,465+4.2%
19801,033,902+3.1%
19851,061,367+2.7%
19901,089,763+2.7%
19951,124,756+3.2%
20001,159,176+3.1%
20011,164,937+0.5%
20021,170,763+0.5%
20031,178,263+0.6%
20041,185,699+0.6%
20051,193,168+0.6%
20061,201,833+0.7%
20071,212,856+0.9%
20081,228,392+1.3%
20091,245,439+1.4%
20101,263,464+1.4%
2015?1,330,975+5.3%
2020?1,397,393+5.0%
2025?1,464,086+4.8%
2030?1,525,853+4.2%
Source: Statistics Norway .

Age and sex distribution

Age structure

Norway

(2010 estimate)
0–14 years: 18.9% (male 470,253; female 447,472)
15–64 years: 66.2% (male 1,641,821; female 1,575,980)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 314,678; female 407,995)

Western Norway

(2010 estimate)
0–14 years: 19.9% (male 128,405; female 123,094)
15–64 years: 65.8% (male 429,302; female 401,410)
65 years and over: 14.3% (male 79,008; female 102,245)

Population

Population  comparative

Slightly larger than East Timor and Eswatini, but slightly smaller than Hawaii and Estonia.

Population growth rate

1.44% (in 2010)

Population growth rate  comparative

Slightly larger than El Salvador and Iran, but slightly smaller than India.

Births and deaths

BirthsDeathsBirth surplusBirth rateDeath rateNet migration rate
200016,34510,4055,94014.18.9-0.1
200816,64410,0286,61613.58.18.5

Life expectancy at birth

(2008)
total population: 80.4 years
male: 77.8 years
female: 83.0 years

Total fertility rate

Western Norway has a higher fertility rate than Iran, Iceland, France and the United States, and it is the highest in Norway.

CountyFertility rate (2009)
Rogaland2.18
Møre og Romsdal2.13
Sogn og Fjordane2.10
Hordaland2.03

Language

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Immigration

Country of originFlag of Norway.svg  Norway Immigrants Eastern Europe Asia Western Europe Africa Nordic countries Latin America North America Oceania Total
Population [1] 1,148,324115,14035,91333,15416,72611,08510,1035,0822,5884891,263,464
Percent of total90.88%9.11%2.84%2.62%1.32%0.87%0.79%0.40%0.20%0.03%100%
Percent of immigrants100%31.19%28.79%14.52%9.62%8.77%4.41%2.24%0.42%9.11%
Country of originFlag of Norway.svg  Norway Immigrants Asia Eastern Europe Western Europe Africa Nordic countries Latin America North America Oceania Total
Hordaland [1] 434,08142,37412,29213,0655,3254,7403,4052,497872178477,175
Rogaland [1] 378,95648,99114,98914,3347,4654,3914,4471,7581,370237427,947
Møre og Romsdal [1] 234,47716,7856,1434,3382,6801,2871,54149624357251,262
Sogn og Fjordane [1] 100,0906,9902,4891,4171,25666771033110317107,080

Immigrants in Bergen and Stavanger

Many people had emigrated from the neighbour to the west, Scotland. Scotland from space.png
Many people had emigrated from the neighbour to the west, Scotland.
CountryInhabitants [2]
Total380,450
Ethnic Norwegians 331,209
Immigrants 49,241
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 5,085
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,336
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 2,067
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1,890
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 1,827
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,780
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1,769
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia 1,746
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,382
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,327

Religion

Bakka kirke in Aurland, Sogn. Bakka kyrkje 1.jpg
Bakka kirke in Aurland, Sogn.
Religion in Western Norway
religionpercent
Christianity
88.65%
Irreligion
10.23%
Islam
0.85%
Buddhism
0.16%
Baháʼí Faith, Judaism, Sikhism
0.11%
A liturgy in Stavanger Cathedral. Stavanger Cathedral pulpit.jpg
A liturgy in Stavanger Cathedral.
Saint Paul Church, a Catholic church in Western Norway. Saint Paul Church Bergen Norway 2009 1.JPG
Saint Paul Church, a Catholic church in Western Norway.

Christianity is the largest religion. 1,054,573 people are members of the Church of Norway. There is also 52,365 members in other Christian churches. Islam has 10,685 adherents in Western Norway, Buddhism has 2,082. 1,171 are of the Baháʼí Faith, Judaism, Sikhism and other religions.

There are more than thousand Protestant churches (in all municipalities), six Catholic churches (in Bergen, Stavanger, Haugesund, Ålesund, Molde and Kristiansund), two mosques (in Bergen and Stavanger), two Orthodox churches (in Bergen and Stavanger), and one Hindu temple (in Bergen).

The name "Bible Belt" has been applied historically to the Southern and Western parts of Norway. The region thus defined included most of Western Norway, especially Rogaland, Møre og Romsdal and some parts of Hordaland. Notably absent from this belt are bigger cities like Bergen and Stavanger where many people identify themselves as non-religious or with other religions. In these areas the conservative branch of the Church of Norway has a stronghold and the members usually associate themselves to Indremisjonen (Inner Mission). There are also numerous Pentecostals and members of the Free Churches, but these movements are also strongly represented in the rest of the country. The Bible Belt in Norway traditionally reflects the support for the Christian Democratic Party. However, especially since the first decade of the 21st century, conservative bible belt Christians unhappy with the more liberal development of the party have increasingly turned to the Progress Party. [3] [4]

Christianity

Christianity is the largest religious group. Although more and more ethnic Norwegians are less religious, Christian immigrants have increased the population. Many known Christian missionaries came from Western Norway, for example Torill Selsvold Nyborg, who is now the county mayor of Hordaland.

Year2006200720082009
Christianity in Western Norway1,099,2771,103,8041,105,0471,104,127
Percent91.4%91.0%89.9%88.6%

Protestantism

Year20052006200720082009
Den norske kirkes vapen.svg Members of the Church of Norway 1,062,6341,051,2091,053,1141,054,5731,051,762
Percent of total population89.0%87.4%86.8%85.8%84.4%
Statue of Saint Sunniva, the patron saint of the Norwegian Diocese of Bjorgvin. According to legend, Sunniva was the heir of an Irish kingdom, but had to flee when a heathen king, who wanted to marry her, invaded. At the Norwegian island of Selja, in the present-day municipality of Selje, she and her followers took refuge in a cave. The locals suspected the foreigners of stealing their sheep, and the ruler Hakon Jarl was sent for. Sunniva and her followers prayed to God that they should not fall into the hands of the heathens, upon which rocks fell down blocking the entrance to the cave. StSunniva.jpg
Statue of Saint Sunniva, the patron saint of the Norwegian Diocese of Bjørgvin. According to legend, Sunniva was the heir of an Irish kingdom, but had to flee when a heathen king, who wanted to marry her, invaded. At the Norwegian island of Selja, in the present-day municipality of Selje, she and her followers took refuge in a cave. The locals suspected the foreigners of stealing their sheep, and the ruler Håkon Jarl was sent for. Sunniva and her followers prayed to God that they should not fall into the hands of the heathens, upon which rocks fell down blocking the entrance to the cave.

Protestantism is the majority religion in Norway. Most Norwegians are Lutheran and members of the Church of Norway. Over 85% of the population is member here. Every municipalities have Protestant churches. Many municipalities, for example Austevoll, a small municipality with around 4,000 inhabitants, have over 13 church buildings. Most Norwegians are not active in the church. Nevertheless, there are many who participate to worship at Christmas Eve. People outside the cities are often more religious than the population in the cities, although there are many religious Christians immigrants in the cities.

Catholicism

Catholicism increased its members in Western Norway due to immigration from Poland, the Philippines, Chile, and other Latin American and European countries. There are six Catholic churches (as of 2004), in Bergen (4,925 members), Stavanger (2,863 members), Haugesund (822 members), Ålesund (595 members), Molde (289) and Kristiansund (212). The largest church is St. Paul church in Bergen. The number of Catholics increased rapidly from 2005, because of immigration (mainly Polish). The capacity in the region is too small for all Catholics, and it is therefore planned to build several Catholic churches in the region, in addition to Orthodox churches. [5]

Year199520002004
Members in the Catholic Church 7,7608,7219,706
Percent0.68%0.75%0.81%

Orthodoxy

There are only two Orthodox congregations in Western Norway, in Bergen and Stavanger. 368 people are members in Stavanger, but not all of them live in Rogaland. Congregations in some churches in Bergen have Orthodox worship in different languages. The numbers of Orthodox Christians in the region due to increased immigration from countries such as Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe. [5]

Smaller denominations

Islam

The mosque of The Islamic Association of Bergen (Det Islamske Forbundet i Bergen), like most Norwegian mosques situated in a regular town house. Moske i Bergen.JPG
The mosque of The Islamic Association of Bergen (Det Islamske Forbundet i Bergen), like most Norwegian mosques situated in a regular town house.

While as many as 7.2% of Oslo's population are Muslims, this figure is only 0.85% in Western Norway. There are two mosques, one in Bergen and Stavanger. In total, 10,685 people members of this religious community. [6]

Year2006200720082009
Islam in Western Norway8,6979,5409,57810,685
Percent0.72%0.78%0.77%0.85%

Buddhism

Buddhism increased its number of adherents from 0 in 2004 to 2,082 in 2009.

Year2006200720082009
Buddhism in Western Norway1,4891,5831,6892,082
Percent0.12%0.13%0.13%0.16%

Others

Year2006200720082009
Baháʼí Faith, Judaism, Sikhism in Western Norway1,1401,1811,1711,397
Percent0.09%0.09%0.09%0.11%

Judaism

Western Norway has a small Jewish community. There has never been a synagogue in this part of the country, but before World War II, there was one congregation in Bergen and one in Kristiansund.

See also

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The Norwegian Bible Belt is a loosely defined southwestern coastal area of Norway, which is more religious than most of Norway. Typically, the definition covers Western Norway (Vestlandet) and Southern Norway (Sørlandet), which includes the counties of Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Møre og Romsdal, Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder. However, the most urban areas, such as Stavanger, have become strongly secularised since the 1960s and are no longer considered part of the Bible Belt.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by country background and county. 1 January 2010". Statistics Norway.
  2. [ dead link ] "Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents by country of birth (the 20 largest groups). Selected municipalities. 1 January 2009". Statistics Norway . Retrieved 6 July 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. [ dead link ]Aalberg, Per Ole (16 September 2003). "KrF kraftig tilbake i bibelbeltet". DagenMagazinet (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 30 July 2012.
  4. [ dead link ]Horn, Anders (23 August 2008). "Stjeler fra Høyre". Klassekampen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 From 2004.
  6. From 2009.