Over
Countries
0
Since 1924
Years
0
Over
Since 1924
Area
385,178 sq. km, including Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
Population
5,618,354 (end of September 2025).
Capital
Oslo with 724,290 inhabitants (end of September 2025).
Currency
NOK (kroner).
Language
Norwegian.
The country is long and narrow; the length of the mainland coastline (including fjords, bays and 239,057 islands) is approx. 100,915 km, and the largest and smallest width of the country is 432 and 6.3 km, respectively.
Other Norwegian possessions are the Antarctic territories of Bouvet Island, Peter I’s Island and Queen Maud Land (total area approx. 2,700,205 sq. km).
The country is thinly populated; average population density is 14.2 inhabitants per sq. km. Of the total area, 70.9% is non-productive land (mainly mountains), 22.8% is covered with forests, and only the remaining 3.3% is fertile, agricultural land.
Norwegian industry has traditionally been based on the country’s national resources: ore, fish, forests, and abundant resources of hydroelectric power, used as the basis for electro-chemical and electro-metallurgical industry. Until 2015, the production of oil and gas has exceeded agriculture, forestry and fishing in importance in terms of the national product. Currently, oil and gas investments in the North Sea are on a lower level than before, which has since 2016 affected suppliers to North Sea activities. However, new regions for exploitation are planned, in particular in northern regions, although the “green wave” considerations are of concern to the newly elected government and parliament. Norway is the 2nd largest supplier of gas to the EU, and a new electric power cable at end of 2021 extends between Norway and England.
Further updated statistical information on Norwegian economy, population, etc., can be obtained from the Norwegian Central Office of Statistics (Internet address: www.ssb.no).
Norway is not a member of the European Union, but is related thereto via EFTA and EEA (European Economic Agreement).
| Statistics (2024) – Patents | |
|---|---|
| Patents filed: (from Norwegians: 706 ; from abroad: 125) | 1,271 |
| PCT national filings (NO applicants) | 27 |
| PCT national filings (Foreign applicants) | 413 |
| EP validated patents | 6,009 |
| Final decisions (National and PCT national phase) | 1,562 |
| Final decisions (EP validations) | 6,309 |
| Applications abandoned or withdrawn | 716 |
| Applications rejected | 4 |
| Patents granted | 842 |
| Patents in force (both NO patents and EP validated patents) | 55,430 |
Remarks: first filed applications normally receive a first Office action within 7 months and a final decision within 2.6 years. Average processing time for other applications 4 – 8 years.
| Statistics (2024) – Trademarks | |
|---|---|
| Trademarks filed: (from Norwegians: 3,136 ; from abroad: 2,654) | 14,735 |
| Other (IR via Madrid Protocol) | 8,933 |
| Final decisions | 17,503 |
| Granted registrations | 15,089 |
| Abandoned or withdrawn | 2,296 |
| Rejections | 148 |
| Trademarks in force | 251,585 |
| Trademarks renewed | 12,571 |
Remarks: average processing time is 2.1 months until first Office action and 5 months until registration. However, in some cases longer time may apply.
| Statistics (2024) – Designs | |
|---|---|
| Designs filed: (from Norwegians: 153 ; from abroad: 166) | 1,291 |
| Hague Agreement (from abroad) | 957 |
| Hague Agreement (from NO) | 15 |
| Final decisions | 1,387 |
| Granted registrations | 1,344 |
| Abandoned or withdrawn | 42 |
| Rejections | 1 |
| Designs in force | 13,235 |
| Designs renewed | 1,519 |
Remarks: note that some design applications and registrations often contain more than one design (joint registration). Average processing time is 4.7 months.
Remarks on Appeals: the Board of Appeals (KFIR) is not part of the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO). Oral hearings can be requested, if desirable. KFIR decisions in 2024: Patents: 11; Trademarks: 98; and Designs: 0. New KFIR cases by end of 2024: Patents: 8; Trademarks: 86; and Designs: 0. In addition, KFIR decided upon 2 cases and received 1 new case by end of 2024 related to names of enterprises. In 72% of cases on patents and trademarks, KFIR upheld the decision of the Patent Office. In general, appeals are seldomly filed on cases of designs and plant varieties. KFIR decisions may be appealed in succession to the Oslo District Court, the Borgarting High Court, and the Norwegian Supreme Court to be ruled upon the court in question.
Further details on patents, trademarks and designs statistics in Norway are available from the website of the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO): www.patentstyret.no or from WIPO: www.wipo.int/ipstats/en