Births

Updated: 13 March 2024

Next update: 11 March 2025

Live births
Live births
2023
51 980
Live births
Live births
201320222023
Total58 99551 48051 980
Boys30 13826 44526 564
Girls28 85725 03525 416
Total fertility rate
Women1.781.411.40
Age at first birth
Mother28.630.230.3
Father31.332.232.3
Cohabitation status of mother
Married25 55318 73519 162
Cohabitation25 83027 27527 551
Single7 6125 4705 267
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and charts from this statistics

  • Single and multiple births
    Single and multiple births
    Births, totalSingle birthsTwin birthsTriple births and overMultiple births per 1000 births
    195963 10862 376727511.6
    196062 02961 313708811.5
    196162 63261 891734711.8
    196262 41861 730682611.0
    196363 40962 7336661010.7
    196465 62464 887730711.2
    196566 29665 5976891010.5
    196667 18466 502675710.2
    196766 85366 19565539.8
    196867 44166 786645109.7
    196967 77767 059710810.6
    197064 60463 96863069.8
    197165 54064 91362169.6
    197264 31063 74556058.8
    197361 18860 59758749.7
    197459 58359 04453459.0
    197556 25955 71853839.6
    197653 35152 83251549.7
    197750 78750 31246879.4
    197851 54250 990551110.7
    197951 48751 01746559.1
    198050 92150 44447349.4
    198150 52350 04746889.4
    198251 04450 528507910.1
    198349 76649 29546839.5
    198450 04149 559472109.6
    198550 83550 267559911.2
    198652 24151 709524810.2
    198753 65053 0515861311.2
    198857 13356 4896251911.3
    198958 86658 1576901912.0
    199060 42559 6557472312.7
    199160 29059 5107483212.9
    199259 54158 7347901713.6
    199359 07558 2468082114.0
    199459 45458 5758473214.8
    199559 58558 6599101615.5
    199660 26359 3508862715.2
    199759 04158 0819312916.3
    199857 64456 7169032516.1
    199958 46357 4101 0312218.0
    200058 39357 3441 0331618.0
    200155 88254 8471 0161918.5
    200254 55753 4981 0441519.4
    200355 58754 5211 0481819.2
    200456 08755 0301 0421518.8
    200555 87554 8331 0222018.6
    200657 71356 6901 0131017.7
    200757 65556 6211 0231117.9
    200859 65558 6081 0321517.6
    200960 93159 8571 0571718.0
    201060 60859 6069802216.5
    201159 41758 4309731416.6
    201259 40358 3851 0001817.1
    201358 17457 2039541716.7
    201458 34457 4119191416.0
    201558 24057 2729561216.6
    201658 14757 225918415.9
    201755 86854 9778781315.9
    201854 43253 6128041615.1
    201953 78852 9698081115.2
    202052 39751 692696913.5
    202155 40254 628770414.0
    202250 85850 142708814.1
    202351 39250 683704513.8
    Explanation of symbols
  • Number of children distributed, by age and cohort. Per cent
    Number of children distributed, by age and cohort. Per cent1 2
    Sex/Cohort of birthsNumber of childrenAverage number of children
    01234 children or more
    Age of woman 20 years
    193582.614.92.40.10.00.20
    194079.616.93.20.30.00.24
    194578.417.24.10.30.00.26
    195076.719.04.00.30.00.28
    195577.419.72.80.10.00.26
    196084.214.21.60.10.00.18
    196588.510.31.10.10.00.13
    197089.79.30.90.10.00.11
    197591.57.60.80.10.00.09
    198092.36.90.80.10.00.09
    198593.85.60.60.10.00.07
    199094.25.30.50.00.00.06
    199596.33.30.40.00.00.04
    200098.31.50.20.00.00.02
    200398.81.10.10.00.00.01
    Age of woman 25 years
    193536.931.224.26.41.31.04
    194034.828.526.48.12.21.14
    194533.329.427.38.21.81.16
    195034.432.027.45.40.71.06
    195543.230.622.73.20.40.87
    196052.627.517.12.50.30.71
    196556.826.613.92.30.30.63
    197061.924.111.81.90.30.55
    197568.020.79.31.70.30.46
    198071.418.98.01.40.30.40
    198571.818.97.71.30.30.39
    199076.515.76.71.00.20.33
    199583.611.24.50.70.10.23
    199887.68.53.30.50.10.17
    Age of woman 30 years
    193516.918.535.520.28.91.86
    194015.816.836.022.09.31.92
    194515.218.441.319.15.91.82
    195016.921.144.814.32.91.65
    195522.423.939.412.12.31.48
    196026.225.134.811.72.31.39
    196529.425.732.110.62.11.31
    197033.826.229.19.01.91.19
    197539.226.325.67.21.71.06
    198041.127.223.66.51.61.01
    198543.526.023.06.01.50.97
    199050.023.820.34.91.10.83
    199355.621.717.74.20.80.73
    Age of woman 35 years
    193511.211.932.026.818.12.29
    194011.011.334.228.015.42.26
    194510.612.842.225.29.12.09
    195011.615.045.821.56.01.95
    195514.516.642.621.05.41.86
    196015.916.739.322.06.11.87
    196517.317.539.020.55.61.82
    197019.618.838.718.34.81.72
    197521.619.537.916.64.51.65
    198022.820.737.514.94.01.58
    198524.720.937.713.23.61.52
    198826.721.236.412.53.21.45
    Age of woman 40 years
    19359.810.530.427.421.82.41
    19409.710.133.929.017.32.34
    19459.211.941.626.311.02.18
    19509.713.545.423.38.02.06
    195511.714.642.123.97.72.01
    196012.614.239.225.38.82.07
    196513.314.440.024.37.92.02
    197014.315.240.922.67.21.96
    197515.315.741.121.36.51.91
    198016.417.141.419.45.81.84
    198317.617.241.718.25.31.79
    Age of woman 45 years
    19359.610.430.427.422.22.42
    19409.510.133.729.117.62.35
    19459.011.841.526.411.32.19
    19509.413.345.423.58.42.08
    195511.214.342.124.28.12.04
    196011.913.839.425.69.22.10
    196512.514.240.224.78.42.06
    197013.414.741.223.17.62.00
    197514.215.341.721.87.01.96
    197814.716.541.320.76.81.90
    Age of man 20 years
    194095.34.30.40.00.00.05
    194594.15.30.60.00.00.07
    195093.55.80.60.00.00.07
    195594.05.80.30.00.00.06
    196096.93.00.10.00.00.03
    196597.62.40.10.00.00.03
    197097.62.30.10.00.00.03
    197598.21.70.10.00.00.02
    198098.21.70.10.00.00.02
    198598.71.20.10.00.00.01
    199098.51.40.10.00.00.02
    199599.01.00.10.00.00.01
    200099.50.50.00.00.00.01
    200399.70.40.00.00.00.00
    Age of man 25 years
    194060.223.812.72.90.40.60
    194555.526.314.73.10.40.67
    195057.727.213.21.70.20.59
    195566.723.19.40.70.10.44
    196075.917.66.00.50.10.31
    196578.416.24.80.60.10.28
    197081.314.14.10.50.00.24
    197585.511.13.10.30.10.19
    198087.210.02.50.30.10.16
    198587.19.92.70.30.10.16
    199089.18.42.20.30.00.14
    199592.75.71.50.20.00.09
    199894.44.41.10.10.00.07
    Age of man 30 years
    194028.521.132.313.84.31.45
    194527.022.935.511.92.71.41
    195031.224.934.68.11.21.23
    195539.025.628.36.11.01.05
    196046.224.822.45.61.00.91
    196551.023.520.04.70.80.81
    197055.322.917.04.00.80.72
    197560.422.014.22.90.50.61
    198061.521.513.62.80.60.60
    198563.620.412.92.60.60.56
    199068.018.311.42.10.30.49
    199372.216.09.81.80.20.42
    Age of man 35 years
    194018.212.836.722.89.61.96
    194518.014.941.819.85.51.81
    195020.517.041.716.54.31.68
    195524.718.437.215.93.81.57
    196029.918.632.315.33.91.46
    196533.219.430.813.43.21.35
    197035.720.428.811.12.81.26
    197538.320.728.710.12.21.18
    198040.320.527.79.22.31.14
    198541.920.527.68.21.91.08
    198843.920.626.57.51.51.03
    Age of man 40 years
    194014.910.436.226.012.42.15
    194514.912.441.123.38.32.01
    195016.313.941.421.17.41.92
    195519.214.737.421.47.41.86
    196023.314.733.521.27.31.77
    196525.715.533.719.16.01.66
    197026.516.334.617.35.41.61
    197528.716.434.216.34.41.53
    198030.616.833.714.74.31.47
    198331.316.934.214.03.71.43
    Age of man 45 years
    194013.910.035.826.413.92.22
    194513.311.540.424.310.52.09
    195014.812.641.022.39.32.02
    195517.213.537.123.19.21.98
    196020.713.434.122.79.11.90
    196522.914.334.120.87.91.80
    197023.414.835.419.47.01.75
    197525.415.035.718.15.81.66
    197826.615.136.117.05.31.62
    Age of man 50 years
    194013.69.835.726.514.42.25
    194513.311.540.424.310.52.12
    195014.412.340.722.610.02.06
    195516.613.237.123.39.92.01
    196019.913.034.223.09.91.95
    196522.013.934.221.28.71.84
    197022.414.535.519.87.71.80
    197323.314.735.819.27.11.75
    1For the cohorts 1935 to 1950 - women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 1998. For the cohort 1955 - women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2001. For the cohort 1960 - women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2005. For the cohort 1965 - women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2010. For the cohort 1970 women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2015.For the cohort 1975 women residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2020. For the kohorts 1978 to 2003 - women residenting in Norway per 31.12.2023.
    2For the cohorts 1940 to 1950 - men residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2004. For the cohort 1955 - men residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2005. For the cohort 1960 - men residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2010. For the cohort 1965 - men residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2015. For the cohort 1970 men residenting in Norway per 31.12. 2020.For the cohort 1975 men residenting in Norway per 31.12.2023. For the cohorts 1976 to 2003 - men residenting in Norway per 31.12.2023.
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics include livebirths and stillbirths where mother or father is resident in Norway at birth.

Residents

Who is counted as a resident of Norway and where in Norway a person is counted as a resident is stipulated in the Population Registration Act of 16 January 1970. The regulations of the act were amended effective 1 February 1980.

Birth rates

Live births during a period divided by women of an age group, usually one-year and five-year age groups. The period is usually one year. For five-year periods the tables are published with the average for the five-year period, e.g., age-specific fertility rates are live births per 1 000 women of an age group.

Age at time of giving birth

Observed age at time of giving birth is the average age of the mother based on actual births during the period. Hypothetical age at time of giving birth is the average age of the mother/father, which is not affected by variations in the size of the cohorts.

The median age is the age in which half of the women were younger or equal to this age. Starting in 1999 information about the age of the father at the time of the child's birth was included for the first time.

Reproduction rate

Gross reproduction rate is the average number of girls born alive who under the prevailing fertility conditions are born to a woman who survives her entire reproductive period (15 to 44 years). This reproduction rate does not take into consideration the fact that some women die before or during their reproductive period.

Net reproduction rate corresponds to gross reproduction rate, but also takes current mortality factors into consideration.

Overall fertility rate

Average number of babies born alive per woman in the course of her life, under the provision that the fertility pattern in the period applies to the woman's entire reproductive period (15-49 years) and that deaths do not occur. The birth rate is determined by the number of women of reproductive age and their fertility.

Age

Age is usually the mother's age in years at the time of the birth of the child. Mother's age at the end of the year is used in the table that shows the average number of live births per woman within selected ages, for cohorts of women from 1850 to 1975.

Stillbirths

Fetuses born without signs of life after least 28 weeks gestation.

Live births

A live birth is defined as a fetus that shows signs of life at birth.

Marital status (applies to the variable, marital status of mother/father)

After the Act on Registered Partnerships for Same Sex Couples became law on 1 August 1993, the following marital status divisions apply: Unmarried, married, widow/widower, divorced, separated, registered partner, separated partner, divorced partner and surviving partner. Before 1994 the five former divisions applied.

From 2001, cohabitating parents are included in the statistics. Earlier statistics have only had the official values; e.g. separated between in wedlock or not in wedlock. The new variable has three values: in wedlock, cohabitating parents and single parents. To fulfil the criteria for cohabitating parents the parents must have the same address at the date of birth or in the following three months after birth.

Name: Births
Topic: Population

11 March 2025

Division for Population Statistics

Municipality

Final figures annually

UN. Eurostat

Files at the individual level that are processed and stored long-term.

The statistics show the number of live births and still births in a year.

Statistics Norway has national figures dating back to 1735. Until 1865 the clergy submitted only summary records of births. In 1866 the clergy were mandated to submit data in the form of transcripts of church records. Starting in 1916 civil registration of births by the clergy was introduced. The reporting duty applies both to live births (babies that show signs of life at birth) and stillbirths. Since 1968 reports of births have been sent from the maternity ward (midwife/doctor) to the population registry in the mother's municipality of residence. In 1983 the civil registration of births was turned over to the population registry.

Public administration, health-care system, politicians, the media, schools and research institutes involved in studying demographics and living conditions.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 08 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given inthe Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

The birth statistics are included in the population accounts as one of the components of understanding changes in the population.

Statistics Act § 10

Not relevant

The statistics cover live births and still births where the mother or the father resides in Norway. All live births and still births after 28 weeks gestation must be reported. Reports of children born abroad to mothers who are residents of Norway are included to the extent they are reported.

From 2002, the statistics on births include reports of births in the period 1/1-n to 31/1-n+1. They also include events reported too late for earlier years. This only applies to a few.

Birth statistics are based on population register data. The figures from 1995 and later are based on the Central Population Register (CPR) at the Directorate of Taxes, while the figures for 1968-1994 are taken from its predecessor, the National Population Register (DSP). The register was built up from 1964 to 1966 on the basis of the 1960 census, at the same time as the 11-digit national identity number was introduced as identification. The Office of the National Registrar, which administrates the register, was transferred in 1991 from Statistics Norway to the Directorate of Taxes.

Reports of births are submitted by the hospital or the person attending the birth to the population registry in the mother's municipality of residence.

Updating of the Central Population Register is done in part by the local population registries, which are connected to the CPR via terminals, and in part by the Directorate of Taxes. The basis of the statistics on changes in the population is electronic copies to Statistics Norway of all such register updates. The reports are also used to update a separate Statistics Norway population database kept for statistical purposes, which forms the basis for the statistics on the composition of the population.

Control and revision
In addition to the checks done in the CPR, Statistics Norway performs controls for statistical purposes.

The marital status variable is based on residence data and changes therein during the period from birth and the following three months. Because we use movements and immigrations in the statistical year, for children born in October this relates to the following two months and one month for children born in November. For children born in December there is no subsequent data to examine. The address details of the father and the mother are linked to the child at the date of birth and three months after, and controlled for deviations. To be assigned cohabiting status, the parents have to be resident at the same address either at the date of birth or during the three months after the birth.

Not relevant

If a table consists zero, one or two units and disclosing these units can lead to identification of individuals, the figure is rounded up or left empty.

Comparability over time is good. Mergers, divisions or redrawing of borders of regional units during the period should be kept in mind if comparisons are to be made at regional levels over time.

In 1999 the scope of the births that are included was changed, leading to an insignificant increase with no impact at all on comparability.

Contact

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