Population and population change, 1 April 2000

As in the past, it is particularly the four northernmost counties and parts of western Norway that are loosing people to internal migration. In relation to the population the loss in Finnmark in the first quarter of this year was nearly three times as high as in the other most vulnerable counties, Nordland and Møre og Romsdal. The counties lining the Oslo Fjord received a smaller percentage of the internal migration compared with recent years.

Lowest population in 35 years

All counties except for Rogaland saw an immigration surplus in the first quarter. Net migration and an excess of births failed, however, to stave off population decline in Finnmark and Troms. The preliminary population of Finnmark at 1 April was the lowest since 1964, while Nordland has not seen a smaller population since 1962.

Regional centralization

A trend in 1999 towards an improved internal migration balance deepened in the first quarter in the northern and western counties that have large cities: together with a significant excess of births and immigration from abroad Tromsø, Trondheim and Bergen increased their population by around 500 each in the first quarter. In relation to the population, growth in these three municipalities was greater or almost equally as large as growth in Oslo. Oslo's population increased in the first quarter by more than 1 300, or slightly less than in adjacent Akershus county.

Fast population growth

Norway's population increased by 6 100 in the first quarter, almost as much as in the same quarter in 1999. The excess of births increased by 500 to 2 500, essentially because births increased by 400. Net immigration from abroad fell by 600 to 3 600 largely due to increased emigration. The net figure included 400 more Africans and Asians than the year before and 800 fewer Europeans. Almost 450 Yugoslavian citizens moved to Norway while 350 left.

The preliminary population at 1 April 2000 was 4 484 600.

Tables:

• Table 1 Population per 1 April 2000 and population changes during 1th quarter of 2000 Provisional figures