Norway Administrative Divisions

Norway is divided into 11 counties (Fylker), 1 overseas territory, and 3 antarctic dependencies, which form the top-level administrative units. These are further divided into 356 municipalities (Kommuner). Major counties include Agder, Akershus, and Buskerud.

Norway has 2 administrative levels. Level 1: 11 counties (Fylker), 1 overseas territory, and 3 antarctic dependencies. Level 2: 356 municipalities (Kommuner).

Norway operates on a 2‑level system starting with 17 counties, followed by municipalities as the smallest administrative units. Note that Dronning Maud Land, Peter I Oy do not have sub-divisions at the next level.

In Norway, counties and overseas territories both sit at administrative level 1 but serve different functions. Counties (fylker) — there are 11 — typically group multiple smaller municipalities under a shared administration. Overseas territory — there is 1 — is a larger city or urban area that handles its own administration independently.

Norwegian administrative divisions have specific local names at each level. In Norwegian, counties are called Fylker; municipalities are called Kommuner. These local-language terms appear in official documents, legal records, and government databases, so matching them correctly is important for data integration and compliance.

Administrative boundaries in Norway change as governments reorganize regions, merge municipalities, or create new administrative units to reflect population shifts and political decisions. Changes most commonly affect the municipalities level, where Norway currently has 356 units. Businesses that rely on Norwegian administrative data should use a regularly updated reference dataset to avoid mismatches in geocoding, tax jurisdiction mapping, and compliance reporting.