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Norway vs Sweden
Side-by-side comparison of Norway and Sweden from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Norway
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,154 years
Sweden
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,031 years
In short
Norway scores 76.7 in the NationsTree Index (11th in the world) and Sweden scores 75.5 (20th), a gap of 1.3 points. Their trees are 17 m and 19 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Sweden has 89% more people than Norway. Norway has 18% more land area than Sweden. The economy of Sweden is 32% larger than that of Norway (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Norway 5.6 million and Sweden 10.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $104,044 in Norway and $72,529 in Sweden (2025, international dollars). People in Sweden live on average 0.9 years longer (84.1 vs 83.2 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Norway ranks higher in the world on 24 and Sweden on 13. Norway is clearly stronger in military and natural resources. Sweden is clearly stronger in tourism, environment & energy and science & innovation.
As a nation, Norway is the older of the two (statehood since 872, 1,154 years), compared with Sweden (since 995). Over the last five years Sweden improved faster (direction score 23 vs 22 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Norway and Sweden.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Sweden overtook Norway in GDP (PPP) in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Sweden overtook Norway in life expectancy in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Norway overtook Sweden in the NationsTree Index in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Norway overtook Sweden in GDP per person (PPP) in 1993 and has stayed ahead since.
Sweden has been ahead of Norway in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
NorwaySweden All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Norway | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 624,50043rd/216 · 2024 | 528,86050th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 364,27063rd/216 · 2024 | 407,27059th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 5.6 m118th/217 · 2025 | 10.6 m92nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.69%122nd/217 · 2025 | 0.25%157th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 15.3200th/216 · 2024 | 26.0180th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 83.6%49th/217 · 2025 | 89.1%35th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 15.9%167th/217 · 2025 | 16.7%156th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 19.1%41st/217 · 2025 | 20.9%29th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $530.76 bn31st/210 · 2025 | $669.00 bn25th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $583.78 bn50th/199 · 2025 | $768.56 bn41st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $534.01 bn48th/199 · 2025 | $671.43 bn41st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $94,59410th/210 · 2025 | $63,13320th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $104,0447th/199 · 2025 | $72,52926th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $97,3103rd/201 · 2025 | $63,01017th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.1%170th/210 · 2025 | 1.5%160th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.0%88th/180 · 2025 | 0.7%27th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 4.6%79th/187 · 2025 | 8.7%140th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 30.9%1994 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 54.0%99th/189 · 2025 | 34.5%45th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 10.6%3rd/192 · 2025 | -1.3%59th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.6%153rd/197 · 2025 | 1.5%157th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 34.5%35th/200 · 2025 | 21.0%121st/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 6.1%141st/192 · 2025 | 12.5%73rd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 55.0%119th/200 · 2025 | 67.0%46th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $240.82 bn34th/182 · 2025 | $356.10 bn28th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $178.76 bn35th/182 · 2025 | $341.90 bn28th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 45.4%63rd/183 · 2025 | 53.2%50th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 33.7%119th/183 · 2025 | 51.1%80th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 79.1%99th/183 · 2025 | 104.3%56th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 62.1%18th/170 · 2025 | 6.0%68th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 17.4%111th/171 · 2025 | 72.2%37th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 10.8%113th/171 · 2025 | 7.2%129th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 5.4%62nd/171 · 2025 | 5.9%57th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 25.4%21st/168 · 2024 | 17.7%40th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 14.2%15th/191 · 2025 | 6.7%26th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | -1.3%186th/196 · 2025 | 2.6%80th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 10.0%46th/209 · 2021 | 1.2%113th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 6.06%24th/197 · 2021 | 0.03%94th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 3.94%17th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%61st/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 1.00%46th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.04%132nd/209 · 2021 | 0.18%94th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.2%166th/206 · 2024 | 6.2%127th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 70,0007th/183 · 2022 | 16,30637th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.4 m82nd/194 · 2020 | 2.0 m67th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $2.20 bn49th/175 · 2020 | $10.67 bn2010 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.9%132nd/168 · 2020 | 4.8%2010 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.7 m51st/107 · 2020 | 6.1 m26th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.219th/217 · 2024 | 84.19th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.510th/196 · 2024 | 2.46th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.9811th/174 · 2023 | 4.4120th/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.352nd/145 · 2023 | 1.990th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 96%48th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.9%10th/153 · 2023 | 95.4%28th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 116.3%21st/173 · 2024 | 132.0%7th/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 29.4%40th/217 · 2025 | 33.5%22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 9.4%36th/193 · 2023 | 11.2%15th/193 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 95.5%12th/150 · 2024 | 84.0%19th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.9702nd/193 · 2023 | 0.9595th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 26.58th/108 · 2023 | 29.320th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.2%18th/108 · 2023 | 0.8%43rd/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.1%29th/150 · 2024 | 99.8%18th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 77.9%54th/144 · 2024 | 95.4%23rd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 99.0%8th/186 · 2024 | 95.8%21st/186 · 2025 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 109121st/210 · 2024 | 14138th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 45.214th/208 · 2024 | 40.624th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.9016th/164 · 2022 | 4.205th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 3,88534th/82 · 2021 | 9,71418th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 12.3 m2004 | 19.6 m35th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 7.18171st/203 · 2024 | 3.57122nd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 61.4%36th/212 · 2021 | 57.9%40th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 5.518th/200 · 2023 | 5.316th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 33.2%103rd/214 · 2024 | 68.6%19th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 4,87717th/149 · 2024 | 4,32920th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 90.08th/205 · 2025 | 89.59th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 87.06th/207 · 2025 | 87.55th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 90.63rd/207 · 2025 | 87.34th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 84.535th/207 · 2025 | 80.553rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 82.810th/205 · 2025 | 82.511th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 91.21st/205 · 2025 | 87.64th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.726th/145 · 2023 | 1.149th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $17.03 bn23rd/156 · 2025 | $16.47 bn24th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.3%22nd/156 · 2025 | 2.5%42nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 6.7%51st/154 · 2025 | 5.0%80th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 25,00094th/170 · 2020 | 15,000117th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.85%81st/168 · 2020 | 0.27%147th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 407.0 m27th/163 · 2025 | 146.0 m41st/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 415.0 m12th/65 · 2025 | 235.0 m15th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.85%20th/110 · 2023 | 3.60%4th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 73239th/137 · 2024 | 1,85121st/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 13,75636th/197 · 2023 | 21,24424th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Norway or Sweden?
Sweden has the larger population: 10.6 m (2025) compared with 5.6 m for Norway (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Norway or Sweden?
Norway is larger: 624,500 km² (2024) compared with 528,860 km² for Sweden (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Norway or Sweden?
Sweden has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $768.56 bn intl. (2025) compared with $583.78 bn intl. for Norway (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Norway or Sweden?
Norway has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $104,044 intl. (2025) compared with $72,529 intl. for Sweden (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Norway or Sweden?
Sweden has the higher life expectancy at birth: 84.1 years (2024) compared with 83.2 years for Norway (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Norway or Sweden?
Norway spends more on the military: $17.03 bn (2025) compared with $16.47 bn for Sweden (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Norway or Sweden?
Norway: 76.7 points (11th in the world); Sweden: 75.5 points (20th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Denmark
Portugal
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Belgium
Finland
IrelandSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Norway vs Sweden — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/norway-vs-sweden. Data as of 26 October 2026.