Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway
Norway: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 59.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway, 1980–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway stood at 59.2%.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway peaked at 69.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 54.0%, in 1980.
Norway ranks 37th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 54.0% | — |
| 1981 | 54.9% | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 54.8% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 55.4% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 56.3% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 60.7% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 62.1% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 61.6% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 59.5% | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 59.4% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 59.2% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 59.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 59.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 59.7% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 60.5% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 62.6% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 64.3% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 66.4% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 67.0% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 66.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 67.0% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 67.6% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 66.4% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 66.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 65.6% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 66.0% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 67.7% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 69.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 67.9% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 66.6% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 66.6% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 66.2% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 66.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 65.0% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 64.6% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 64.8% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.3% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 59.4% | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 58.2% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 60.3% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 60.0% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 59.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 59.2% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 57.7% | 54.0% | 62.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.7% | 59.0% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.0% | 65.6% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.4% | 62.3% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.5% | 58.2% | 60.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More work & labour data for Norway
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2413 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2229 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7506 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,138 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 663.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,690 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,724 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,414 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Norway was 59.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 69.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.0% in 1980.
- How does Norway rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Norway ranks 37th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. 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 Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.