Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway
Norway: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 4.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway, 1972–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway is 4.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 13.0% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway peaked at 6.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1977.
That places Norway 112th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1.7% | — |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -7.3% |
| 1974 | 1.5% | -4.1% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | +54.2% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -23.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -17.0% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +23.4% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +10.5% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | -17.0% |
| 1981 | 2.0% | +22.6% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | +28.6% |
| 1983 | 3.4% | +31.4% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | -8.1% |
| 1985 | 2.6% | -18.5% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | -23.0% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +49.2% |
| 1989 | 4.9% | +54.2% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +9.2% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | +8.2% |
| 1993 | 6.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 5.5% | -9.6% |
| 1995 | 6.3% | +15.2% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | -20.2% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 3.7% | -20.3% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | +6.5% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | -22.5% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -26.6% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | +23.0% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +13.8% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 4.3% | +23.2% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | +8.9% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -11.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | -8.7% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | -25.9% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +10.6% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | +11.4% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +13.0% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 4.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 92% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Norway's 4.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 81% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 1.7% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.1% | 3.2% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 2.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More reference data data for Norway
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3703 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3621 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7734 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3366 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Norway was 4.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1977.
- How does Norway rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Norway ranks 112th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.