Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The United Kingdom fits inside Norway 2.6 times.
Norway: 624,500 km² (2023) · United Kingdom: 243,610 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Norway’s coastline is 2 times as long as the United Kingdom’s.
Norway: 25,148 km (2026 edition) · United Kingdom: 12,429 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Norway’s highest peak towers 1,124 m above the United Kingdom’s.
Norway: 2,469 m (2026 edition) · United Kingdom: 1,345 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The United Kingdom has 12 times as many people as Norway.
Norway: 5.61 million (2025) · United Kingdom: 69.5 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The United Kingdom is 19 times as densely populated as Norway.
Norway: 15 per km² (2025) · United Kingdom: 287 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Norway are 2.3 cm taller than in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 180.5 cm (2019) · United Kingdom: 178.2 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Norway are 2.5 cm taller than in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 166.5 cm (2019) · United Kingdom: 163.9 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the United Kingdom is 0.24 years older than in Norway.
Norway: 39.5 years (2023) · United Kingdom: 39.8 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the United Kingdom have 0.1 more children on average than in Norway.
Norway: 1.45 children per woman (2024) · United Kingdom: 1.55 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
20% of people in the United Kingdom are 65 or older, versus 19% in Norway.
Norway: 19.1% (2025) · United Kingdom: 19.7% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Norway has produced 23.2 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the United Kingdom 15.8.
Norway: 23.2 (2025) · United Kingdom: 15.8 (2025)
How many official languages?
Norway has 3 official languages, the United Kingdom 1.
Norway: 3 (2026) · United Kingdom: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The United Kingdom’s economy is 7.5 times the size of Norway’s.
Norway: $531 billion (2025) · United Kingdom: $4 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Norway produces 61% more per person than the United Kingdom.
Norway: Int$104,044 (2025) · United Kingdom: Int$64,607 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the United Kingdom than in Norway (Gini 5.9 points higher).
Norway: 26.5 (2023) · United Kingdom: 32.4 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
The United Kingdom and Norway are practically level.
Norway: 4.6% (2025) · United Kingdom: 4.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The United Kingdom and Norway are practically level.
Norway: 2.1% (2024) · United Kingdom: 2.3% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Norway’s price level (US = 100) is 1× the United Kingdom’s.
Norway: 91% (2025) · United Kingdom: 89% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Norway spends 42% more on health per person than the United Kingdom.
Norway: $8,296 (2023) · United Kingdom: $5,860 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in Norway live 1.8 years longer than in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 83.2 years (2024) · United Kingdom: 81.4 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the United Kingdom is 2.1 times as likely to die before turning one as in Norway.
Norway: 2 per 1,000 (2024) · United Kingdom: 4.1 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Norway has 51% more doctors per person than the United Kingdom.
Norway: 5 per 1,000 (2023) · United Kingdom: 3.3 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
29% of adults in the United Kingdom are obese, versus 21% in Norway.
Norway: 20.7% (2024) · United Kingdom: 29.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
Norway and the United Kingdom are practically level.
Norway: 12.9% (2024) · United Kingdom: 12.8% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Norway rate their lives 0.55 points higher than in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 7.24 (2025) · United Kingdom: 6.69 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the United Kingdom drink 50% more alcohol than in Norway.
Norway: 7 litres (2023) · United Kingdom: 10.4 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The United Kingdom has 20% more meat per person than Norway.
Norway: 70.4 kg (2023) · United Kingdom: 84.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Norway has 41 kcal more food per person per day than the United Kingdom.
Norway: 3,476 kcal (2023) · United Kingdom: 3,435 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the United Kingdom put in 111 more hours a year than in Norway.
Norway: 1,412 hours (2023) · United Kingdom: 1,523 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the United Kingdom went to school 0.37 years longer than in Norway.
Norway: 13.1 years (2023) · United Kingdom: 13.5 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Norway welcomed 65% more tourists per resident than the United Kingdom (2019).
Norway: 0.91 (2022) · United Kingdom: 0.55 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
99% of people in Norway are online, versus 95% in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 99% (2024) · United Kingdom: 95% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Norway and the United Kingdom are practically level.
Norway: 100% (2024) · United Kingdom: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
Norway and the United Kingdom are practically level.
Norway: 84% (2025) · United Kingdom: 83% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The United Kingdom has 122 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Norway 109.
Norway: 109 (2024) · United Kingdom: 122 (2024)
How much railway is there?
The United Kingdom’s railway network is 4.2 times as long as Norway’s.
Norway: 3,885 km (2021) · United Kingdom: 16,179 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Norway: no data · United Kingdom: 1.71 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 34% of Norway, but only 13% of the United Kingdom.
Norway: 33.5% (2023) · United Kingdom: 13.3% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Norway emits 47% more CO₂ than someone in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 6.7 t (2024) · United Kingdom: 4.5 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
99% of Norway’s electricity is renewable, versus 52% in the United Kingdom.
Norway: 99% (2025) · United Kingdom: 52% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in the United Kingdom carries 31% more fine dust than in Norway.
Norway: 6.7 µg/m³ (2024) · United Kingdom: 8.8 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 54% more likely to be murdered in the United Kingdom than in Norway.
Norway: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · United Kingdom: 1.1 per 100k (2021)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the United Kingdom are 60% deadlier than in Norway.
Norway: 1.5 per 100k (2021) · United Kingdom: 2.4 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The United Kingdom is on average 8.3 °C warmer than Norway.
Norway: 1.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · United Kingdom: 9.9°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Norway gets 18% more rain than the United Kingdom.
Norway: 1,259 mm (2016–2025 avg) · United Kingdom: 1,070 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Norway bigger than the United Kingdom?
Norway is larger. The United Kingdom fits inside Norway 2.6 times.
Which has more people, Norway or the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom has 12 times as many people as Norway (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Norway or the United Kingdom?
People in Norway live 1.8 years longer than in the United Kingdom. Life expectancy at birth is 83.2 years in Norway and 81.4 in the United Kingdom.
Are people taller in Norway or the United Kingdom?
Men in Norway are 2.3 cm taller than in the United Kingdom (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
