Church of Norway

Updated: 15 June 2022

Next update: 15 June 2023

Members in Church of Norway
Members in Church of Norway
2021
3 526 133
Church of Norway - main figures
Church of Norway - main figures1
2021Change last 3 years
Members of the Church of Norway2 3 526 133-198 724
Members as a percentage of the population64.9-4.9
Baptized1 27 139-1 458
Baptized as a percentage of births48.3-3.6
Confirmed33 612-1 636
Confirmed as a percentage of persons 15-years old51.6-4.7
Church burials35 229-454
Church burials as a percentage of all deaths83.9-3.5
Church weddings4 851-2 197
Church services51 280-9 116
Participitations in church services, total2 360 828-2 957 365
Participants per church service46.0-42.0
1Baptized from 2016 and onward shows the total number of baptized. The number cannot be compared to previous year's numbers because they showed performed acts of baptize.
2Up to and including 2020 the variable included members of the Church of Norway as well as not baptized child (until 18 year) of a parent who is a member. From 2021 the variable only includes members of the Church of Norway.
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and figures from this statistics

  • Church of Norway. Church services and participants, by diocese
    Church of Norway. Church services and participants, by diocese
    Services totalParticipitations, totalChurch services sundays and holidaysParticipitations in church services sundays and holidaysChurch services except sundays and holidaysParticipitations in church services except sundays and holidaysServices with communionParticipants communionChristmas Eve servicesParticipitations Christmas Eve services
    202151 2802 360 82840 2401 890 87511 040469 95318 800480 5052 211106 388
    202048 4832 360 70338 0241 927 05010 459433 65317 927555 7242 282117 864
    201960 1665 249 06944 8033 994 22115 3631 254 84832 6271 311 1082 352539 647
    201860 3965 318 19345 1224 076 20915 2741 241 98432 4591 291 2572 347537 027
    201761 0005 454 82645 5004 194 79315 5001 260 03332 7911 305 1202 314559 807
    201662 5095 685 13846 4184 418 53916 0911 266 59932 6971 317 4722 321553 283
    2021
    Oslo4 174204 5242 917153 2781 25751 2462 16568 55719310 813
    Borg5 278232 7094 339185 88493946 8251 85950 62525211 877
    Hamar4 993188 9263 976151 0851 01737 8411 61527 23723210 688
    Tunsberg4 373182 2803 401149 43297232 8481 63238 3901698 265
    Agder og Telemark5 702267 1314 652221 0381 05046 0931 62050 20324111 349
    Stavanger4 445278 0633 728237 92471740 1391 46362 21819810 215
    Bjørgvin7 486348 3646 082284 1411 40464 2232 92572 59032915 779
    Møre3 311170 1962 677134 80163435 3951 21032 8841227 017
    Nidaros5 341232 1203 718175 3641 62356 7561 53733 3552119 628
    Sør-Hålogaland2 837116 9352 28192 83755624 0981 16018 0471104 484
    Nord-Hålogaland3 340139 5802 469105 09187134 4891 61426 3991546 273
    Explanation of symbols
  • Church of Norway. Members and church ceremonies, by diocese
    Church of Norway. Members and church ceremonies, by diocese
    Members of the Church of NorwayEnrolledResignedBaptizedConfirmedChurch weddingsChurch burials
    20213 526 1332 37714 84427 07333 6124 85135 229
    20203 655 5562 34312 65323 82233 0834 39434 605
    20193 686 7153 35319 03728 01134 5136 21434 765
    20183 724 8572 09611 87728 59735 2487 04835 683
    20173 740 9202 44315 42430 33135 5197 33135 998
    20163 758 0703 14741 02432 56137 4207 53536 150
    2021
    Oslo434 2524172 6233 2733 1814843 802
    Borg463 8533081 6003 1234 2525474 735
    Hamar294 8971377972 0042 6734523 782
    Tunsberg328 2122331 3162 1492 7714213 539
    Agder og Telemark314 6833141 2962 4383 1185633 215
    Stavanger320 2222331 8873 0413 7735312 657
    Bjørgvin455 2502741 9243 7984 8775954 247
    Møre202 6441217451 7482 2452602 199
    Nidaros344 5951561 4432 8163 3734383 067
    Sør-Hålogaland184 497825861 3341 6422782 020
    Nord-Hålogaland179 4531026271 3491 7072821 966
    Unknown diocese3 5752866000
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The annual church statistics give a summary of the Church of Norway activity in parishes/municipalities. These statistics are published at a bishopric level. The statistics give information about church rituals such as baptisms, confirmations, weddings, burials and church service attendance.

The reporting unit is the parish. According to the Act on religious communities and life stance communities, the parish is the basic unit of the Church of Norway. In every parish there should be a parochial church council. In municipalities with more than one parish there should be a joint parish council. According to the Act on religious communities and life stance communities, a register should be provided over baptisms, confirmations, enrolments and resignations of Church membership, number of marriages and funerals performed by the Church of Norway. The number of baptized from 2016 and onward shows total number of baptized. The number cannot be compared to previous year’s numbers because they showed performed acts of baptize. Marriages only include ecclesiastical marriages performed in Norway. For a total number of marriages, look to Population statistics. Members in the Church of Norway include members as well as not baptized childeren (until 18 years old) of a parent who is a member. Automatic belongship was terminated with the Act on religious communities and life stance communities of 1 January 2021.

Not relevant.

Name: Church of Norway
Topic: Culture and recreation

15 June 2023

Division for Education and Culture Statistics

The figures are published on both national and regional level (municipality), as well as the level of dioceses.

KOSTRA Church key figures are published annually on the municipal level on the 15th March (unrevised figures) and 15th of June (revised figures). At the diosece level the statistics are published at the end of June.

Not relevant.

Microdata are stored in accordance with the instruction of The Data Inspectorate.

From 1998 up to and including the statistical year 2004 the annual statistics of the parishes were collected at paper forms by Norwegian Center for Research Data (NSD) and published in the Ecclesiastical Database. Older history and statistics can be found on the Church of Norway's website, statistics from 1950 "Kirken i tall" (no).

As of the year 2005 the collection of data is electronic and is reported through the web-portal of SSB. The purpose of this statistic is to give information about the activity in the parishes of the Church of Norway. The Church of Norway National Council finances the statistics.

Important users of the church statistics is the Ministry of Culture (KUD), Church of Norway National Council, dioceses, the joint parish councils, other ecclesiastical organisations related to Dnk, as well as for researchers and media. This statistics is also relevant in connection to other statistics in SSB. For instance, membership in Religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, Church accounts statistics and Register-based Employment Statistics for the Church of Norway.

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 in the Statistics Release Calendar. This is one of Statistics Norway’s key principles for ensuring that all users are treated equally.

Church statistics are also relevant in connection with other statistics in Statistics Norway. Such as the statistics for Religious and life stance communities, Church account statistics for the joint parish councils and the Employment statistics.

Statistics Norway carries out this task on behalf of the Church Council with legal authority based on the regulation of church organization for Church of Norway § 12 last section with legal basis from the Act on religious communities and life stance communities (trossamfunnsloven) § 12 second section. Statistics Norway can make use of the collected data for official statistical purposes with legal basis in the Statistics Act (statistikkloven), Act of 21 June 2019 No. 32 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway § 10.

Not relevant.

This statistics includes all geographical parishes in the Church of Norway, not included Svalbard. The statistics do not include church affairs aboard or at institutions as hosptital and prisons, the church for the deaf, army chaplains and others having their own registers. Every parochial church council in cooperation with the vicar is responsible for reporting the data. The reporting unit is the parishes. The annual statistics include information on the number of baptisms, confirmations, enrolments and resignations of Church membership, number of services, congregation numbers, communicant numbers, collection takings, activities for children and teenagers, diaconal and ecumenical work in the parishes, cultural work etc. The main point of the statistics is the activity that the vicars, the parochial church council and the employed are responsible to.

Data sources: KOSTRA Church uses data from several sources, among other from the municipality accounts, the membership register of the Church of Norway, several registers for employment figures and Statistics Norway population statistics. The annual statistics are collected via KOSTRA, form 28, "Annual statistics for the Church of Norway".

Sampling: Including the whole population (all parishes). The statistic includes the whole population of parishes registered in the relevant year. Every year there are fewer parishes due to merging of already existing parishes.

Data is collected electronically once every year from each parish, and the information should be available for Statistics Norway by 20th January. The electronic forms contain built-in consistency checks and logical tests. After arrival data are checked automatically and edited manually. The forms are also checked for doublets.

Not relevant.

Not relevant.

At the time of a new way of reporting system in 2005, it was also worked out a new form with simplified questions compared to former forms. This change complicates comparisons with former years on municipality level, but at national level the continuity is good. The most important questions are continued pursued over the years.

The Church of Norway adopted a new digital tool to enroll and resign in 2016. This led to high figures for resigned in 2016.

Errors can occur when the form is filled out manually. Most errors are discoverd by revising controls and will be corrected. The possibility of errors by measuring in the parishes can also happen. Most of the information from the church book, the daily register etc. will be correct. Some errors may still occur.

Not relevant.

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