Country comparison
Norway Sweden
How do Norway and Sweden compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.
Norway vs Sweden at a glance
- Norway's surface area is larger: about 1.2× Sweden's (624,500 km² vs 528,660 km²).
- Norway's population is smaller: about 53% of Sweden's (5.6M vs 10.6M).
- Norway's GDP (total) is smaller: about 79% of Sweden's ($530.8B vs $669B).
- Norway's GDP per capita is about 1.5× Sweden's.
Norway vs Sweden in the world: GDP per capita
GDP per capita log axis
Every dot is one country with data — the two highlighted dots are these countries; the dashed line marks the world median. Wide-range metrics use a logarithmic axis (tagged).
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NorwaySweden — Norway's GDP per capita is about 1.5× Sweden's.
| Metric | Norway | Sweden | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 5.6M (2025) | 10.6M (2025) | 53% |
| Population growth | 0.7% (2025) | 0.3% (2025) | 2.7× |
| Urban population share | 83.6% (2025) | 89.1% (2025) | 94% |
| Population aged 65+ | 19.1% (2025) | 20.9% (2025) | 91% |
| Fertility rate | 1.5 (2024) | 1.4 (2024) | 1.0× |
| Birth rate | 9.7‰ (2024) | 9.3‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Death rate | 7.9‰ (2024) | 8.6‰ (2024) | 92% |
| Net migration | 29.8K (2025) | 47.1K (2025) | 63% |
| Surface area | 624,500 km² (2023) | 528,660 km² (2023) | 1.2× |
| Population densityderived | 9.0/km² (2025) | 20.0/km² (2025) | 45% |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $530.8B (2025) | $669B (2025) | 79% |
| GDP per capita | $94,594 (2025) | $63,133 (2025) | 1.5× |
| GNI per capita | $97,310 (2025) | $63,010 (2025) | 1.5× |
| GDP growth (annual) | 1.1% (2025) | 1.5% (2025) | 70% |
| Inflation rate | 3.1% (2025) | 0.7% (2025) | 4.5× |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 8.7% (2025) | 53% |
| Gini index | 26.5 (2023) | 29.3 (2023) | 90% |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.2% (2023) | 0.8% (2023) | 25% |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 45.4% (2025) | 53.2% (2025) | 85% |
| Imports share of GDP | 33.7% (2025) | 51.1% (2025) | 66% |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 1.6% (2025) | 1.5% (2025) | 1.1× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 6.1% (2025) | 12.5% (2025) | 49% |
| International tourist arrivals | 1.4M (2020) | 2M (2020) | 71% |
| Tourism receipts | $2.2B (2020) | $10.7B (2010) | 21% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 83.2 years (2024) | 84.1 years (2024) | 99% |
| Infant mortality | 2.0‰ (2024) | 2.0‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Under-five mortality | 2.5‰ (2024) | 2.4‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 96.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Hospital beds | 3.3 per 1,000 (2023) | 1.9 per 1,000 (2022) | 1.7× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 9.4% (2023) | 11.2% (2024) | 84% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 116.3% (2024) | 132.0% (2024) | 88% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 5.4% (2022) | 7.3% (2022) | 74% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.970 (2023) | 0.959 (2023) | 1.0× |
| Internet users | 99.0% (2024) | 95.8% (2025) | 1.0× |
| Mobile subscriptions | 109.3 per 100 (2024) | 140.7 per 100 (2024) | 78% |
| Fixed broadband | 45.2 per 100 (2024) | 40.6 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Electricity access | 100.0% (2024) | 100.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Environment & security | |||
| CO₂ emissions per capita | 7.2 t (2024) | 3.6 t (2024) | 2.0× |
| CO₂ emissions (total)derived | 40.0 Mt (2024) | 37.8 Mt (2024) | 1.1× |
| Renewable electricity share | 99.1% (2021) | 67.4% (2021) | 1.5× |
| Renewable energy consumption | 61.4% (2021) | 57.9% (2021) | 1.1× |
| Forest area | 33.5% (2023) | 68.7% (2023) | 49% |
| Agricultural land | 2.7% (2023) | 7.3% (2023) | 37% |
| Arable land | 2.2% (2023) | 6.2% (2023) | 36% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 5.5 µg/m³ (2023) | 5.3 µg/m³ (2023) | 1.0× |
| Military spending | 2.1% (2024) | 2.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.
Norway
- Capital
- Oslo
- Languages
- Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
- Currencies
- NOK
- Subregion
- Northern Europe
Sweden
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Languages
- Swedish
- Currencies
- SEK
- Subregion
- Northern Europe
Norway vs Sweden in five metrics
Full metric comparison
| Metric | Norway | Sweden | A vs B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & land | |||
| Population | 5.6M (2025) | 10.6M (2025) | 53% |
| Population growth | 0.7% (2025) | 0.3% (2025) | 2.7× |
| Urban population share | 83.6% (2025) | 89.1% (2025) | 94% |
| Population aged 65+ | 19.1% (2025) | 20.9% (2025) | 91% |
| Fertility rate | 1.5 (2024) | 1.4 (2024) | 1.0× |
| Birth rate | 9.7‰ (2024) | 9.3‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Death rate | 7.9‰ (2024) | 8.6‰ (2024) | 92% |
| Net migration | 29.8K (2025) | 47.1K (2025) | 63% |
| Surface area | 624,500 km² (2023) | 528,660 km² (2023) | 1.2× |
| Population density derived | 9.0/km² (2025) | 20.0/km² (2025) | 45% |
| Economy | |||
| GDP (total) | $530.8B (2025) | $669B (2025) | 79% |
| GDP per capita | $94,594 (2025) | $63,133 (2025) | 1.5× |
| GNI per capita | $97,310 (2025) | $63,010 (2025) | 1.5× |
| GDP growth (annual) | 1.1% (2025) | 1.5% (2025) | 70% |
| Inflation rate | 3.1% (2025) | 0.7% (2025) | 4.5× |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% (2025) | 8.7% (2025) | 53% |
| Gini index | 26.5 (2023) | 29.3 (2023) | 90% |
| Poverty rate ($2.15/day) | 0.2% (2023) | 0.8% (2023) | 25% |
| Trade & industry | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 45.4% (2025) | 53.2% (2025) | 85% |
| Imports share of GDP | 33.7% (2025) | 51.1% (2025) | 66% |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 1.6% (2025) | 1.5% (2025) | 1.1× |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 6.1% (2025) | 12.5% (2025) | 49% |
| International tourist arrivals | 1.4M (2020) | 2M (2020) | 71% |
| Tourism receipts | $2.2B (2020) | $10.7B (2010) | 21% |
| Health & education | |||
| Life expectancy | 83.2 years (2024) | 84.1 years (2024) | 99% |
| Infant mortality | 2.0‰ (2024) | 2.0‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| Under-five mortality | 2.5‰ (2024) | 2.4‰ (2024) | 1.0× |
| DPT immunization | 97.0% (2024) | 96.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Hospital beds | 3.3 per 1,000 (2023) | 1.9 per 1,000 (2022) | 1.7× |
| Health spending share of GDP | 9.4% (2023) | 11.2% (2024) | 84% |
| Secondary school enrollment | 116.3% (2024) | 132.0% (2024) | 88% |
| Education spending share of GDP | 5.4% (2022) | 7.3% (2022) | 74% |
| Society & living | |||
| Human Development Index | 0.970 (2023) | 0.959 (2023) | 1.0× |
| Internet users | 99.0% (2024) | 95.8% (2025) | 1.0× |
| Mobile subscriptions | 109.3 per 100 (2024) | 140.7 per 100 (2024) | 78% |
| Fixed broadband | 45.2 per 100 (2024) | 40.6 per 100 (2024) | 1.1× |
| Electricity access | 100.0% (2024) | 100.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
| Environment & security | |||
| CO₂ emissions per capita | 7.2 t (2024) | 3.6 t (2024) | 2.0× |
| CO₂ emissions (total) derived | 40.0 Mt (2024) | 37.8 Mt (2024) | 1.1× |
| Renewable electricity share | 99.1% (2021) | 67.4% (2021) | 1.5× |
| Renewable energy consumption | 61.4% (2021) | 57.9% (2021) | 1.1× |
| Forest area | 33.5% (2023) | 68.7% (2023) | 49% |
| Agricultural land | 2.7% (2023) | 7.3% (2023) | 37% |
| Arable land | 2.2% (2023) | 6.2% (2023) | 36% |
| PM2.5 exposure | 5.5 µg/m³ (2023) | 5.3 µg/m³ (2023) | 1.0× |
| Military spending | 2.1% (2024) | 2.0% (2024) | 1.0× |
Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the displayed surface area (World Bank surface-area figures where available) — so it can differ from the World Bank's own land-area-based density.
Reference facts
| Metric | Norway | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Oslo | Stockholm |
| Languages | Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami | Swedish |
| Currencies | NOK | SEK |
| Subregion | Northern Europe | Northern Europe |
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, Norway or Sweden?
Norway's surface area is larger: about 1.2× Sweden's (624,500 km² vs 528,660 km²).
Which has a larger population, Norway or Sweden?
Norway's population is smaller: about 53% of Sweden's (5.6M vs 10.6M).
Which economy is larger, Norway or Sweden?
Norway's GDP (total) is smaller: about 79% of Sweden's ($530.8B vs $669B).
Which has a higher GDP per capita, Norway or Sweden?
Norway's GDP per capita is larger: about 1.5× Sweden's ($94,594 vs $63,133).
Related tools and comparisons
Open the interactive compare tool with Norway and Sweden preselected
See Norway and Sweden's true size on a drag-and-drop map →
Distance between Norway and Sweden →
Norway country profile: key metrics vs world median →
Sweden country profile: key metrics vs world median →
More comparisons with Norway and Sweden
Data & method
Indicators: World Bank Open Data, 43 indicators — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Surface area (sq. km) — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Human Development Index — CC BY 3.0 IGO © United Nations Development Programme — https://hdr.undp.org/terms-use
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m (public domain); surface areas follow the World Bank AG.SRF.TOTL.K2 figures, with mledoze/countries (or a measured Natural Earth boundary, marked †) only where World Bank coverage is missing.
Reference facts (capital, languages, currencies, subregion): mledoze/countries (ODbL).