Maps

This map shows the share of foreign-born of the total population in the Nordic countries. This map shows the share of foreign-born of the total population in Nordic municipalities (big map) and regions (small map), and municipalities (big map) in 2022. Iceland has the highest share of foreign-born residents in the Nordic Region, at 22%. Mýrdalshreppur, the municipality in the south containing the village of Vik, has the largest foreign-born population, at 58%. It is also the only municipality in the Nordic Region with a majority non-native population. Other municipalities in the south, some of which are quite small, also have significant foreign-born populations. Reykjanesbær, near Keflavik airport, is the largest municipality with a sizeable foreign-born population, at 29%. In Reykjavíkurborg, 20% of the population is foreign-born, about the same as the national average. Many municipalities with tiny populations in the Westfjords and the north also have small shares of foreign-born persons. In 2022, 17% of the population of Norway was foreign-born. Municipalities with high shares of foreign-born include Oslo (28%), several suburban municipalities near Oslo, and a few in the north – which have small overall populations but large numbers of foreign workers employed in the fishing industry. In Sweden, 20% of residents are foreign-born, with large differences in distribution by region and municipality. At the regional level, Stockholm has the highest share of foreign-born persons (27%), followed by Skåne, including the city of Malmö (24%). The percentage of foreign-born persons in Västra Götaland, which encompasses Gothenburg, is the same as that of Sweden as a whole. The regions with low shares of foreign-born persons are in the north of the country – Dalarna, Gävleborg, Västernorrland, Jämtland, Västerbotten, and Norrbotten – plus the island of Gotland, which has the lowest share (9%). There are no municipalities in which foreign-born…

This map shows the total fertility rate (TFR) in 2018. The total fertility rate is the number of children a hypothetical cohort of women would have in one year. Data on total fertility rates is not available at the regional or municipal levels for all of the Nordic countries. The figures are estimated based on multiplying the general fertility rate by 30 (representing the typical number of reproductive years, between 15 and 45), assuming the general fertility rate is constant throughout this period. The general fertility rate is the number of births per woman during the childbearing years. At the regional level, age and gender composition are indicative of past trends but also harbingers of future population change. In 2018, prior to the pandemic, most Nordic municipalities had fertility levels in line with their respective national levels. Most municipalities within Greenland and the Faroes had fertility rates above 1.5 children per woman, consistent with national rates of about 1.9. Municipalities in Sweden and Denmark typically had fertility rates of 1.5 or higher, consistent with their national rates of 1.7. By contrast, many municipalities in Norway and Finland had fertility rates of 1.5 or lower. Iceland and Åland also showed varying rates across municipalities, ranging from 1 to over 1.5.

This map shows the natural population change per 1,000 persons in 2022. This map shows the natural population change per 1,000 persons in 2022 (i.e. between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2022). Natural population change refers to births minus deaths (i.e. population change disregarding migration). The small map shows the result on a regional level, and the big map shows changes on the municipal level. Red shades refer to population decrease, blue shades to population increase, and yellow shades to balanced development. The map shows that levels of natural population change do not only vary across but also within the Nordic countries. Urban areas such as Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden; Oslo and Bergen in Norway; Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark; as well as Helsinki and Turku in Finland all experienced positive natural population change. This can be attributed to the comparatively young population age structure of these urban centres. Young people of child-bearing age often cluster in cities for study and work, and many start families there. By contrast, rural and remote areas often have a higher proportion of older people and, as such, tend to register more deaths than births, resulting in negative natural population change. These patterns are particularly pronounced in Finland but also in the northern parts of Sweden and Norway. Nonetheless, there are exceptions. In Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, which had comparatively high levels of natural population growth at national level, a majority of municipalities, including many in rural areas, still registered more births than deaths in 2022 (77% of municipalities in Iceland, 60% in Greenland, 67% on the Faroe Islands). In the other Nordic countries, only a minority of municipalities, mostly in urban centres, recorded natural population increase in 2022 (30% in Norway and Sweden, 26% in Denmark, 12% in Finland).

This map shows the internal net migration in 2022 as a percentage of the total population. This map shows the internal net migration in 2022 as a percentage of the total population. The small map shows the result on a regional level, and the big map on the municipal level. Internal (sometimes referred to as domestic) net migration refers to migration between municipalities and regions within the same country. International migration is excluded. In 2022, internal net migration was positive (indicated by shades of blue) or at least balanced (shown in yellow) in several municipalities in central and southern Sweden and Norway, as well as in central and northern Finland – areas that traditionally were more likely to lose population due to internal migration. Conversely, several municipalities in the capital regions – such as Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen – exhibited negative internal net migration. Several municipalities across the Nordic Region, including in more remote and rural areas, continued to register positive internal net migration in this year. In Iceland, positive migration predominated in most of the municipalities, and the Faroe Islands also presented positive net migration. Greenland oscillated mainly between positive and negative migration flows, while Åland presented the whole spectrum of positive, balanced, and negative net migration for this year.

This Christmas, we’re gifting all fellow data nerds our first-ever interactive 3D map! The map displays the number of residents in each 1km grid cell, with the height of the bars representing the number of residents in each area.

Voting turnout in 2023 (or latest national election). The map illustrates voter turnout as a percentage point relative to national averages, highlighting differences in participation levels between countries. This method removes inter-country differences in participation levels, providing a clearer view of the urban-rural divide. Lower turnout is observed in eastern Finland, northern Sweden, and the more rural parts of Denmark. In Norway, the lowest turnout occurs in the north and in municipalities outside Oslo. Nationally, the highest voter turnouts are in the Faroe Islands (88%), Sweden (84.2%), and Denmark (84.16%). Lower participation rates are found in Iceland (80.1%), Norway (77.2%), Finland (68.5%), and Greenland (65.9%).

This map shows location of algae production by production method in the Nordic Arctic and Baltic Sea Region in 2019 Algae and seaweeds are gaining attention as useful inputs for industries as diverse as energy and human food production. Aquatic vegetation – both in the seas and in freshwater – can grow at several times the pace of terrestrial plants, and the high natural oil content of some algae makes them ideal for producing a variety of products, from cosmetic oils to biofuels. At the same time, algae farming has added value in potential synergies with farming on land, as algae farms utilise nutrient run-off and reduce eutrophication. In addition, aquatic vegetation is a highly versatile feedstock. Algae and seaweed thrive in challenging and varied conditions and can be transformed into products ranging from fuel, feeds, fertiliser, and chemicals, to third-generation sugar and biomass. These benefits are the basis for seaweed and algae emerging as one of the most important bioeconomy trends in the Nordic Arctic and Baltic Sea region. The production of algae for food and industrial uses has hence significant potential, particularly in terms of environmental impact, but it is still at an early stage. The production of algae (both micro- and macroalgae) can take numerous forms, as shown by this map. At least nine different production methods were identified in the region covered in this analysis. A total of 41 production sites were operating in Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Germany, and Sweden. Germany has by far the most sites for microalgae production, whereas Denmark and Norway have the most macroalgae sites.

This map shows change in share of biofuels in final energy consumption in transport in the Nordic Arctic and Baltic Sea Region from 2010 to 2018. Even though a target for greater use of biofuels has been EU policy since the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directives of 2009, development has been slow. The darker shades of blue on the map represent higher increase, and the lighter shades of blue reflect lower increase. The lilac color represent decrease. The Baltic Sea represents a divide in the region, with countries to the north and west experiencing growth in the use of biofuels for transport in recent years. Sweden stands out (16 per cent growth), while the other Nordic countries has experienced more modest increase. In the southern and eastern parts of the region, the use of biofuels for transport has largely stagnated. Total biofuel consumption for transport has risen more than the figure indicates due to an increase in transport use over the period.

This map shows the share of biofuels in final energy consumption in transport in the Nordic Arctic and Baltic Sea Region in 2018. There has been considerable political support for biofuels and in the EU, this debate has been driven by the aim of reducing dependency on imported fuels. For instance, 10 per cent of transport fuel should be produced from renewable sources. The darker shades on the map represent higher proportions, and the lighter shades reflect lower proportions. As presented by the map, only Sweden (20.7%) had reached the 10 per cent target in the Nordic Arctic and Baltic Region in 2018. Both Finland (8.3%) and Norway (8.3%) were close by the target, while the other countries in the region were still lagging behind, particularly the Baltic countries.

The map shows universities and other educational institutions on post-secondary and tertiary level located in the Arctic. The red circles indicate a location of a university, college, or campus areas within the Arctic. The size of the circle corresponds to the number of educational institutions in a specific location. There is a high density of educational education institutions around Anchorage (Alaska), in Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the Arctic Fennoscandia (see zoom-in maps). In the Yukon (Canada), the Yukon College is the main educational institution, which has several campus areas across the region. In the Russian Arctic the largest centres with higher educational institutions are in Murmansk, Naryan-Mar (Nenets), Nizhnevartovsk (Khanty-Mansi), Salekhard (Yamalo-Nenets), and Yakutsk (Sakha).

The map shows the annual natural population change rates in the Arctic subregions between 2013 and 2017. The blue tones indicate a positive change: subregions where the number of live births exceeds the number of deaths. The yellow colour indicates no or little change: subregions where the difference between births and deaths are close to zero. The red tones indicate negative change: subregions where the number of deaths exceed the number of live births. In the Artic the annual average natural population change rate was 0,66% between 2013 and 2017. The natural population change was positive especially in the Canadian Arctic, Alaska (USA), Greenland as well as in Yamalo-Nenets, Khanty-Mansi and in Sakha regions (Russian Federation). Natural population decline was the strongest in the Nordic Arctic, as well as in Murmansk, Magadan, and Kamchatka (Russian Federation).

The map shows the percent of individuals aged 25-64 with tertiary education as the highest attainment level in the Arctic regions in 2017. Tertiary education corresponds to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011 levels 5-8, which represent bachelor or equivalent and all higher attainment levels. The dark green tones show regions where more than 30% of individuals attained tertiary education as highest level. The light green tones show regions where less than 15% of individuals attained tertiary education as highest level. Highest shares of working aged population with tertiary education were found in Troms (Norway, 43,8%) and Iceland (42,5%). All other Nordic Arctic regions as well as Yukon (Canada, 33,3%) and in some regions in Alaska (USA) had high shares of highly educated people. Northern Quebec (Canada) had the lowest share of working aged population that attained tertiary education (13,0%).

The map shows the percent of individuals aged 25-64 with upper secondary education as highest level attained in 2017 in Arctic regions. The upper secondary education corresponds to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011 levels 3-4. The dark blue tones show regions where more than 80% of individuals attained upper secondary education as highest level. The lightest blue tones show regions where less than 60% of individuals attained upper secondary education as highest level. Among the working age population, the number of individuals with upper secondary education was the highest in Alaska (USA, over 90%). Individuals with upper secondary education attainment level was also high – above 80% – in the Yukon and Labrador (Canada), Norrbotten (Sweden), and in Lappi (Finland). The lowest share of individual with upper secondary education was in Greenland (45,6%), Chukotka (Russian Federation, 58,4%) and in Nunavut (Canada, 59,1%).

The map shows the regional labour force (active population) as share of total population in the Arctic regions in 2016. The active population includes all persons (aged 15 years old and over) with at least one current paid job or searching for one. The dark green tones show regions with high participation rates and correspondingly light green tones show regions with low participation rates. The Russian Arctic regions of Chukotka (83,6%), Yamalo-Nenets (78,0%), and Magadan (76,1%) had the highest participation rates. The lowest participation rates were in Lappi (Finland, 53,3%) and in Nordland (Norway, 59,9%).

The map shows unemployed persons as share of the labour force (aged 15 years old and over) in the Arctic regions in 2016. The dark orange tones show regions with high unemployment rates and correspondingly light orange tones show regions with low unemployment rate. Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada, 14,0% and 13,4%, respectively) had the highest unemployment rates. The unemployment rate was the lowest in Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms (Norway, 2,6%, 3,3%, and 3,3%, respectively), in the Faroe Islands (3,3%), in Iceland (3,0%), as well as in three Russian Arctic regions: Magadan (3,1%), Yamalo-Nenets (3,1%), and Chukotka (3,2%). The unemployment rate in the Arctic regions mostly follows the national averages. 

The map shows the share of the part-time employees over total employment in the Arctic regions in 2014. Part-time workers are considered as persons (aged 15 years old and over) who are working less than 30 hours per week. The dark blue tones show regions with high part-time employment incidence and correspondingly light blue tones show regions with low part-time employment incidence. The three Arctic regions of Norway had the highest part-time employment incidence: Nordland (59,5%), Troms (56,3%), and Finnmark (56,0%). The Russian Arctic regions of Yamalo-Nenets (0,9%), Khanty-Mansi (2,5%), and Chukotka (3,4%) had the lowest part-time employment incidence.

The map shows the employment rate for the Arctic regions in 2016 based on OECD data. The employment rate is the ratio between the employed population and the working age population (aged 15 years old and over). Employed persons are aged 15 or over who report that they have worked in gainful employment for at least one hour in the previous week or who had a job but were absent from work during the reference week. The dark blue tones show regions with high employment rates and correspondingly light blue tones show regions with low employment rate. The highest employment rates in the Arctic regions were in the Faroe Islands, Svalbard, the Yukon (Canada), Chukotka, Yamalo-Nenets, and Magadan Oblast (Russian Federation). The lowest employment rates were in Finnish Lapland (48,1%), Newfoundland & Labrador, and Nunavut (Canada, 52,4% and 53,0%, respectively). The employment rate in the Nordic Arctic regions was lower than the average of their respective countries whereas in Alaska (USA) and the Russian Arctic the employment rate was higher than average of their respective countries.

The map provides an overview of the population change in Arctic settlements with 500 inhabitants or more during the period 2000 to 2017. The purple underlaying layer shows the extent of permafrost across the Arctic. The circles indicate settlements with 500 inhabitants or more and are proportional to the total population in 2017. Blue tones indicate population growth between 2000 and 2017, while red tones indicate population decline. Four zoomed-in maps show areas with high settlement density – Arctic Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Alaska. In Alaska, population increased in the largest settlements between 2000 and 2017. The population decline in small settlements located far from the two large cities – Anchorage and Fairbanks – has been caused by outmigration, which has cancelled out the positive natural population growth. In the Canadian Arctic, most people live in a few settlements. Similar to Alaska, the population increased in the largest settlements and decreased in small settlements. Most of the smaller settlements in Arctic Fennoscandia have witnessed a population decline between 2000 and 2017, except in Norway. The dominant pattern in Fennoscandia is a population growth in larger settlements and a population decline in surrounding smaller settlements. This is similar to the pattern observed in the other Nordic Arctic countries – Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. New inhabitants settled in the capitals (Reykjavik, Nuuk, and Torshavn) and regional centres, from both domestic and international locations, while settlements in sparsely populated areas are becoming less attractive to incomers. In the Russian Arctic, the regions can be divided into the oil and gas areas of the Khanty-Mansi and Yamal-Nenets, and other areas. The population is growing in the oil and gas areas and declining slowly in the others. Over 75% of the settlements have been shrinking throughout the 21st century, mainly because…

The map shows the population aged 15-24 as share of the total population in 2017 at the regional level in the Arctic. Age 15 to 24 is a standard international definition of youth used by the OECD and United Nations. Dark blue tones indicate regions with high share of youth in the total population, and light blue tones indicate regions with low share of youth. Keewatin in Nunavut region (Canada) had the highest share of youth (18,8%). Region 3 in the Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec, as well as the other two regions in Nunavut (Canada) had a share of youth above 15%. Magadan (9,2%), Arkhangelsk (9,4%) and Komi (9,7%) (Russian Federation) had the lowest shares of youth in their total populations.

The map shows the population aged 15-64 as a share of the total population in 2017 at the sub-regional level in the Arctic. Dark purple tones indicate subregions with high share of working age population, and light purple tones indicate subregions with low share of working age population. In the Arctic the share of the working age population was 69,8%. The highest share of working age population was in regions where a large share of employment is related to natural resources extraction such as oil, gas, and minerals. This is especially the case in the Russian Arctic regions. All subregions in the Nordic countries had a share of working age population smaller than 60%. Subregions in the Russian Federation as well as in Svalbard (Norway) and in Aleutian Islands (Alaska) had high shares of working age population.