MigrantoNorwegian Diaspora
120.9K Norwegians live abroad — 2% of the population of Norway
Norwegian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 66% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Sweden | 39914 |
| Denmark | 20886 |
| Bangladesh | 19278 |
| Poland | 13563 |
| Australia | 3910 |
| Canada | 3410 |
| Lithuania | 2911 |
| Finland | 2180 |
| Iceland | 2098 |
| Hungary | 1745 |
| Italy | 1722 |
| Slovakia | 1193 |
| Bulgaria | 749 |
| Brazil | 701 |
| Greece | 558 |
| Chile | 486 |
| Estonia | 467 |
| Portugal | 425 |
| Botswana | 413 |
| Latvia | 408 |
| China | 398 |
| Libya | 377 |
| Malta | 341 |
| Luxembourg | 303 |
| Egypt | 302 |
| Argentina | 287 |
| South Africa | 250 |
| Faroe Islands | 238 |
| Mexico | 214 |
| Cyprus | 208 |
| Panama | 139 |
| Bolivia | 119 |
| Sri Lanka | 118 |
| Costa Rica | 110 |
| Croatia | 99 |
| Venezuela | 80 |
| Greenland | 64 |
| Dominican Republic | 60 |
| Belarus | 58 |
| Namibia | 56 |
| Slovenia | 34 |
| Bahamas | 12 |
| Liechtenstein | 7 |
| Guinea | 0 |
By region
74% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Norwegian diaspora in numbers
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 60% to 33%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia. Poland climbed from outside the top 20 to #4.
Most Norwegians abroad live in Sweden
33% of the diaspora lives in Sweden, while the next country accounts for just 17%.
The share of the diaspora living in Asia has grown since 1990
5.3% of the diaspora lived in Asia in 1990, compared with 16.4% today.
Norwegian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 88450 |
| 1995 | 84525 |
| 2000 | 87049 |
| 2005 | 94553 |
| 2010 | 98853 |
| 2015 | 101769 |
| 2020 | 110143 |
| 2024 | 120891 |
Largest communities over time
Norwegians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Sweden | Denmark | Bangladesh | Poland | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 52690 | 13930 | 4240 | 93 | 2299 |
| 1995 | 45532 | 14613 | 7022 | 150 | 2647 |
| 2000 | 42315 | 16285 | 9804 | 242 | 3985 |
| 2005 | 44840 | 17483 | 11669 | 475 | 4392 |
| 2010 | 43617 | 18594 | 13509 | 1006 | 4347 |
| 2015 | 42161 | 19604 | 14311 | 2800 | 4382 |
| 2020 | 41346 | 20381 | 14032 | 8212 | 4100 |
| 2024 | 39914 | 20886 | 19278 | 13563 | 3910 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Norwegians in each country has changed since the selected year
Norwegians among immigrants in other countries
Where Norwegians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Norwegians live outside Norway?
Around 120.9K Norwegians live abroad, the world's #148 largest diaspora.
Where do most Norwegians abroad live?
Most Norwegians live in Sweden, Denmark and Bangladesh — these three countries account for about 66% of all Norwegians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Norwegian population outside Norway?
Sweden is home to the largest Norwegian community abroad — 39.9K people, about 33% of all Norwegians living abroad.
What share of the population of Norway lives abroad?
About 2% of the population of Norway lives abroad — that's 120.9K out of a total population of 5.6M.
Is the Norwegian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Norwegians living abroad has grown from 101.8K to 120.9K, about 19%.
Where does the data on the Norwegian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Norway who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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