Foreign subsidiaries in Norway, 2000-2008

The Nordic countries jointly contributed to 21 per cent of the value added for the foreign-controlled enterprises. The USA was the single most important country, accounting for a third of the value added. France contributed with 16 per cent, followed by Sweden with more than 12 per cent and Great Britain with somewhat less than 12 per cent.

In 2008, value added for the foreign-controlled enterprises totalled NOK 434 billion. This equals about 28 per cent of total value added in Norway and is an increase of 0.8 percentage points from 2007.

Increase for Sweden

In total, the number of foreign-controlled enterprises rose by 827 from 2007 to 2008, from 5 018 to 5 845. The number of enterprises controlled from Sweden increased the most, with 138. Great Britain and France followed behind, up 102 and 75 respectively from 2007 to 2008.

Ownership strongest within administrative activities and oil and gas extraction

It was especially within administrative and support service activities and oil and gas extraction and mining that the foreign-controlled enterprises contributed to much of the value added. As much as 45 per cent of value added within administrative and support services came from foreign-controlled enterprises. The corresponding figure for oil and gas extraction and mining is 35 per cent.

The highest share of foreign-controlled enterprises was within oil and gas extraction and mining, where almost 14 per cent of all enterprises in Norway were foreign-controlled.

4 out of 10 large enterprises were foreign-controlled

2.2 per cent of all enterprises in Norway were foreign-controlled. If we look only at the large enterprises, i.e. 250 employees or more, 39 per cent were foreign-controlled. These large foreign-controlled enterprises amounted to 10 per cent of the total value added in Norway for 2008.

The USA invested the most

Foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for approximately 19 per cent of the gross investments in Norway in 2008, or NOK 54 billion. A total of 54 per cent of the gross investments for foreign-controlled enterprises came from enterprises controlled from the USA, followed by Sweden with 10 per cent. The Nordic countries jointly contributed with 38 per cent of the gross investments for the foreign-controlled enterprises.

Gross investments made by enterprises controlled from the USA made up 10 per cent of total gross investments in Norway in 2008.

Tables:

• Table 1 Enterprises under foreign control compared with all enterprises within the whole business economy 2000-2008
• Table 2 Enterprises under foreign control compared to the whole business economy, by industry section. 2008
• Table 3 Enterprises under foreign control compared to the whole business economy by number of persons employed. 2008
• Table 4 Enterprises under foreign control, by country of ultimate owner. 2008