Norwegian baby-boom
60 500 children were born in Norway in 2008. The population growth was on 1,3 percent – the highest rise since 1920.
The Norwegian population rose with 62 100 persons in 2008 and now counts 4,8 millions, Statistics Norway reports.
Norwegian women in average give birth to 1,96 children which is more than most of their European sisters. According to Norsk Helseinformatikk the average European woman gives birth to 1,5 children. In Europe only Albanian, Icelandic, French and Irish women give birth to more children than Norwegian women. There are also fewer women in Norway than in other European countries that choose not to have any babies at all.
Experts believe the well developed system for maternity care and maternity/paterity leave is part of the reasons for the Norwegian baby-boom.
The average age of the Norwegian population is 39 years.
