The Norwegian government figures released on Tuesday show that 9.68 percent of residents in the Norwegian capital Oslo are defined as living in poverty, giving the city the worst figures in the whole country.
The country-wide level of poverty in Norway lies at 4.5 percent, which translates into 215,415 people. But the level is Oslo is significantly higher, with 54,282 now below the poverty line.
The official poverty line is calculated regionally, with those earning under 50 percent of the median wage in the local authority area considered as living in poverty. Social security is not included, and students and those with assets three times larger than the median income are also not counted.
The poverty line is calculated on the basis of individuals living alone, with those living together in the same household having a lower limit. Those is Oslo who earn NOK 128,003 (USD 24,399) after tax are considered to be living in poverty, whereas the lowest limit found elsewhere in Norway is NOK 105,645 (USD 20,137). The highest percentage of those living in poverty found outside of the capital is 8 percent in Modalen in the Sogn and Fjordane region.
