Economy, jobs and prices in Vestlandet, Norway: official figures
GDP per person was 42,800 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2021, 129% of the EU average; 2nd highest of 6 regions in Norway. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Vestlandet?
The regional economy produced €82.4 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2021, 19.4% of Norway's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Vestlandet?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 4.1% in 2025, against 4.5% for Norway and 6.0% across the EU; 5th highest of 6 regions in Norway.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Vestlandet?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 13.6% in 2025, against 14.0% for Norway; 3rd highest of 4 regions in Norway.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Vestlandet spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 2.05% of GDP in 2020 (2.16% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Vestlandet are in work?
78.6% of women aged 20 to 64 were in work in 2025, against 77.0% for Norway as a whole and 71.3% across the EU; 2nd highest of 6 statistical regions in Norway. In 2016 it was 77.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Vestlandet?
There were 503 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2024 (Norway: 515); 2nd lowest of 6 statistical regions in Norway. In 2017 it was 490.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Vestlandet?
Hotels, campsites and other tourist accommodation recorded 10.6 million nights in 2025, 40% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Vestlandet?
The largest part of the economy of Vestlandet in 2021 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 27.5% of gross value added, followed by industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (26.1%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Vestlandet?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 26.1% of output in 2021, against 36.2% for Norway.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Vestlandet growing?
Gross value added rose from €72.5 billion in 2015 to €74.2 billion in 2021 in current prices, an increase of 2% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Vestlandet?
Of the 737,000 jobs located in Vestlandet in 2021, 38% in public services, education, health and other services, 17% in industry and 2.8% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Vestlandet?
The number of people working in Vestlandet rose by 0.8% between 2015 and 2021, to 737,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Vestlandet compares with other statistical regions
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Vestlandet ranks 2 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oslo og Viken | 78.8% |
| 2 | Vestlandet | 78.6% |
| 3 | Nord-Norge | 76.2% |
| 4 | Trøndelag | 74.7% |
| 5 | Innlandet | 74.4% |
| 6 | Agder og Sør-Østlandet | 72.2% |
Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)
Vestlandet ranks 5 of 6, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Innlandet | 617 |
| 2 | Nord-Norge | 538 |
| 3 | Agder og Sør-Østlandet | 533 |
| 4 | Trøndelag | 507 |
| 5 | Vestlandet | 503 |
| 6 | Oslo og Viken | 494 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Vestlandet ranks 2 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oslo og Viken | 12.5 million |
| 2 | Vestlandet | 10.6 million |
| 3 | Nord-Norge | 5.6 million |
| 4 | Agder og Sør-Østlandet | 5.0 million |
| 5 | Innlandet | 3.7 million |
| 6 | Trøndelag | 3.0 million |
| 7 | Svalbard og Jan Mayen | 188,798 |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2021)
Vestlandet ranks 3 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oslo og Viken | 30.1% |
| 2 | Trøndelag | 23.6% |
| 3 | Vestlandet | 19.2% |
| 4 | Agder og Sør-Østlandet | 18.0% |
| 5 | Innlandet | 16.6% |
| 6 | Nord-Norge | 14.9% |
| 7 | Svalbard og Jan Mayen | 9.5% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2021)
Vestlandet ranks 6 of 7, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nord-Norge | 38.5% |
| 2 | Innlandet | 37.0% |
| 3 | Trøndelag | 33.6% |
| 4 | Agder og Sør-Østlandet | 31.3% |
| 5 | Oslo og Viken | 27.9% |
| 6 | Vestlandet | 27.5% |
| 7 | Svalbard og Jan Mayen | 25.9% |
More on Vestlandet: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Norway
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP (million euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3677c4e6d67…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rate (age 15-74), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 13f5037ce93a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Youth unemployment rate (age 15-24), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83bb1aebc10b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rate (age 20-64), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03191283bf5f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset rd_e_gerdreg: Research and development spending (% of GDP), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36a9132b2284…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rates by sex, age and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 51bfca80dc8b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_vehst: Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5adf37bcb393…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tour_occ_nin2: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 06f6a82909c0…)
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