| Economy - overview | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous mixed economy, with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector, through extensive regulation and large-scale state-majority-owned enterprises. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for the largest portion of export revenue and about 20% of government revenue. Norway is the world's second-largest natural gas exporter; and seventh largest oil exporter, making one of its largest offshore oil finds in 2011. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from the petroleum sector in the world's second largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $700 billion in January 2013 and uses the fund's return to help finance public expenses. After solid GDP growth in 2004-07, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to positive growth in 2010-12, however, the government budget is set to remain in surplus. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $278.1 billion (2012 est.)
$269.9 billion (2011 est.)
$265.8 billion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $499.8 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.1% (2012 est.)
1.5% (2011 est.)
0.6% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $55,300 (2012 est.)
$54,300 (2011 est.)
$54,200 (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 41.5%
services: 55.7% (2012 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% |
| Labor force | 2.645 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 21.1%
services: 76% (2008) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% (2012 est.)
3.3% (2011 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 9.2%
male: 10.3%
female: 8% (2009) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 21% (2008) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 25 (2008)
25.8 (1995) |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 21.4% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $282.9 billion
expenditures: $206.7 billion (2012 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 56.6% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 15.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Public debt | 30.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
33.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.6% (2012 est.)
1.3% (2011 est.) |
| Central bank discount rate | 6.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
1.75% (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 3.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
4.4% (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of money | $NA |
| Stock of narrow money | $149.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$137.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of broad money | $309.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$280.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) |
| Stock of quasi money | $NA |
| Stock of domestic credit | $694.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$611.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | $219.2 billion (31 December 2011)
$250.9 billion (31 December 2010)
$227.2 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
| Industries | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing |
| Industrial production growth rate | -4.3% (2011 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $76.1 billion (2012 est.)
$70.3 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports | $162.7 billion (2012 est.)
$163.8 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish |
| Exports - partners | UK 27.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, Germany 11.1%, France 7.1%, Sweden 6.5%, US 5.6% (2011) |
| Imports | $86.78 billion (2012 est.)
$88.59 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | Sweden 13.3%, Germany 12%, China 9%, Denmark 6.3%, UK 5.6%, US 5.4%, Netherlands 4.1% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $49.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$52.8 billion (2010 est.) |
| Debt - external | $644.5 billion (30 June 2011)
$NA (30 June 2010)
note: Norway is a net external creditor |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | $192.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$182.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | $197.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$182 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -
5.882 (2012 est.)
5.6065 (2011 est.)
6.0442 (2010 est.)
6.288 (2009)
5.6361 (2008) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year |
