Formal Borrowing Statistics in Norway (2026)

In 2021, 66.8% of adults in Norway borrowed from a formal financial institution, according to World Bank Global Findex data. Down from 69.5% in 2017 to 66.8% in 2021 (−2.6 percentage points). Norway ranks #2 of 46 economies in Europe & Central Asia on this measure, and #6 of 142 globally.

Key Statistics

Latest value (2021): 66.8% (2021); Formal Borrowing in Norway as of 2021, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
Change since 2017: −2.6 pp (2021); Down from 69.5% in 2017 to 66.8% in 2021 (−2.6 percentage points).
Earliest value in this dataset (2014): 62.5% (2014); Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 62.5% in 2014 to 66.8% in 2021.
Peak value (2017): 69.5% (2017); Highest value in the available series; the 2021 value is 66.8%.
Rank in Europe & Central Asia: #2 of 46 (2021); Norway ranks 2 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, based on each country's latest value.
Global rank: #6 of 142 (2021); Norway ranks 6 of 142 countries with data globally.
Europe & Central Asia average: 33.3% (2021); Norway (66.8%) is above the average of 33.3% across the 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data.
Among women (2021): 66.8% (2021); Value for women in Norway, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Among men (2021): 66.8% (2021); Value for men in Norway, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Gender gap (women minus men): +0.1 pp (2021); In 2021, the figure was 66.8% for women and 66.8% for men — 0.1 percentage points higher among women.
Among the poorest 40% (2021): 55.1% (2021); Value for adults in the poorest 40% of households in Norway in 2021.
Poorest-40% gap vs national: −11.7 pp (2021); The poorest 40% (55.1%) are 11.7 percentage points below the national figure (66.8%).
Internet use in Norway (2024): 99% (2024); 99% of the population in Norway used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
Population (2024): 5.6 million (2024); Norway had a population of 5.6 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.

Trend, 2014–2021

Formal Borrowing in Norway by year (% of adults (age 15+))
Year	% of adults (age 15+)	Change
2021	66.8%	−2.6 pp
2017	69.5%	+6.9 pp
2014	62.5%	—

Fig. 1 — Formal Borrowing in Norway, 2014–2021

Frequently asked questions

What share of adults in Norway borrowed from a formal financial institution?

66.8% of adults in Norway borrowed from a formal financial institution in 2021, according to World Bank Global Findex data.

Where does Norway rank globally on formal borrowing?

Norway ranks 6 of 142 countries with data globally, based on the latest World Bank Global Findex value for each country.

Is there a gender gap in formal borrowing in Norway?

Yes — in 2021 the figure was 66.8% for women and 66.8% for men, a gap of 0.1 percentage points in favor of women.

When did formal borrowing in Norway peak?

The highest value in the available series was 69.5% in 2017; the latest (2021) value is 66.8%.

How recent is the formal borrowing data for Norway?

The most recent observation is from 2021. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2021 is the latest available year for Norway.

Source & methodology

Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator fin22a, retrieved 2026-06-10.

Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.

Last updated 2026-06-10.