Fewer Norwegian citizenships granted

Photo: www.udi.no

A total of 10 300 persons became naturalized in 2008, almost 4 600 fewer than the year before. The largest group of foreign citizens who were granted Norwegian citizenship in 2008 (1 300 in total) were from Somalia, reports Statistic Norway.

The number of naturalisations fell significantly from 2007 to 2008. A total of 4 600 fewer persons were granted Norwegian citizenship in 2008 than in 2007, which was the record year. Iraq and Somalia are the two countries that have been at the top for the last four years, but 2008 was the first time that Somalis were the largest group of new Norwegian citizens. Iraqis were the second largest group with nearly 1 100 naturalisations.

The total number of naturalisations since 1977 is 213 200, and more than 148 000 (70 per cent) of those naturalised have a non-European origin.

Many women and children became Norwegian

A total of 31 per cent of the citizenships granted in 2008 were given to persons less than 18 years old. Almost half of the citizenships granted to Somali citizens were given to children. A total of 60 per cent of the adults who were granted Norwegian citizenship were women. There were particularly high proportions of women among those from Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Russia.

The statistics are based on population register data and can differ from figures published by The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.

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