Natural Population Change, persons per 1000 population

Some notes about the dashboard presented below:

The figures show the basis for population changes in the three northernmost counties in the country and for Norway as a whole, measured in birth surplus and net immigration for the period 2011-2020. In order to get a more detailed overview, the municipalities in northern Norway have also been included, where an overview of developments in the Sami municipalities has also been provided.

Fewer young people means fewer women of childbearing age. This in turn affects the number of births. In the period 2011-2020, the number of childbirths has decreased in the three northernmost counties and on a national basis. Until 2018, all counties in northern Norway had a birth surplus, but from 2018 the trend reversed in Nordland, and the county had a birth deficit. The birth deficit intensified over the next two years.

Of a total of 87 municipalities in northern Norway, only 22 had a birth surplus. Tromsø, Alta and Bodø had the highest profits. Alta is also at the top of the Sami municipalities, followed by Kautokeino and Sør-Varanger.

A reduction in the number of births can be compensated by more people moving to the region. But net migration has also declined, both in the three northernmost counties and on a national basis. In 2015, there were also more people who moved from Finnmark than the number of people who moved in; a development that was strengthened over the next three years, and which was followed by Nordland and Troms from 2019. On a national basis, on the other hand, net immigration is still positive.

Measured in the number of people, Tromsø, Bodø, Vestvågøy and Vågan had the largest net immigration in the period 2011-2020. Similarly, Alta, Sør-Varanger and Balsfjord were the Sami municipalities with the largest net immigration in the same period.