📜 A long story
Norway, 1800 → today
Norway grew from 900,000 in 1800 to 5.52 million; a newborn can expect 35.3 more years of life than in 1846, and output per person is 64× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 900,000 people lived in Norway.
1900
2.23 million people.
2.5× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1874.
1950
3.27 million people.
1.5× the 1900 level
2023
5.52 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.7× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 2001.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1846
In 1846, a newborn in Norway could expect to live 48 years, on average.
1900
53.5 years.
+5.5 years since 1846
Passed 50 years in 1854.
1950
71.6 years.
+18 years since 1900
Passed 60 years in 1921.
Passed 70 years in 1947.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 8 years between 1913 and 1918 (58.3 years → 50.3 years).
2023
83.3 years, the latest year in this series.
+12 years since 1950
Passed 80 years in 2004.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Norway produced about Int$1,380 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$3,250.
2.4× the 1820 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1889.
1950
Int$8,660.
2.7× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 1939.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 19% between 1939 and 1944 (Int$7,080 → Int$5,720).
2022
Int$88,400, the latest year in this series.
10× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1820 level in 1965.
Reached 20 times the 1820 level in 1985.
Reached 50 times the 1820 level in 2006.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1829
In 1829, fossil fuels and industry in Norway emitted about 0.0099 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
1.9 t.
187× the 1829 level
Reached twice the 1829 level in 1837.
Reached 5 times the 1829 level in 1842.
Reached 10 times the 1829 level in 1850.
Reached 20 times the 1829 level in 1856.
Reached 50 times the 1829 level in 1875.
1950
2.6 t.
1.4× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 70% between 1939 and 1945 (4.2 t → 1.3 t).
2024
6.7 t, the latest year in this series.
2.6× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Norway had spent 4.2 years in school, on average.
1900
5.7 years.
+1.5 years since 1870
1950
7.4 years.
+1.7 years since 1900
Passed 6 years in 1905.
2015
12.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+4.7 years since 1950
Passed 8 years in 1970.
Passed 10 years in 1985.
Passed 12 years in 2015.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).