Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway
Norway: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway, 1972–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway is 4.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 13.0% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway peaked at 6.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1977.
Norway ranks 114th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | 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% |
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 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 unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Norway was 4.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1977.
- How does Norway rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Norway ranks 114th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 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 database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.