Living here

Epic landscapes, colorful culture and a lot of culinary experiences await you in the Stavanger region.Stavanger is close to mountains, fjords and the beautiful beaches of Jæren, with the North Sea as its nearest neighbour.

We are close to some of Norways most amazing natural sights such as Prekestolen/Pulpit Rock.

Stavanger is one of the most international cities in Norway with about 190 nationalities.

One in five inhabitants in Stavanger are international.

Do you speak English? So do we. Norwegians are pretty much fluents in English, having to learn the language in the primary school from around eight years old.

Stavanger received city status in 1125, but the area has been inhabited for many thousands of years. In 2025, the city celebrates its 900th anniversary. It was here that Harald Hårfagre united Norway into a kingdom during the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872.

Stavanger municipality has around 146,000 inhabitants (2023 figures). Over 80,000 people live in the neighboring town of Sandnes. The two towns have grown together and over 230,000 people are living here.

The region is a hotspot for resource-based industries including energy, aquaculture, and agriculture. Coupled with a highly educated workforce, excellent infrastructure, and capabilities within engineering and IT, the region provides an innovative setting for start-ups.

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The University of Stavanger is located in Ullandhaug, close to the city center. Areas of priority are energy, health and welfare, and learning for life.

The university is organized into six faculties and has around 12.000 students and 2000 employees.

Sources:

Stavanger Municipality

Stavanger business region