næringer

Næringer is the plural form of næring, a Norwegian term that denotes a sector of the economy, a line of business, or an activity that provides livelihoods. In economic and public discourse, næringer are used to group activities that produce goods or services and that sustain employment. The singular form næring can refer to a trade or occupation or to a broader economic activity; næringer emphasizes the set of distinct sectors within an economy.

Etymology and usage: The word traces to Old Norse roots and has long been used to describe livelihoods and trades. In modern Norwegian, næring covers both the more formal sense of industry and the everyday sense of a job or livelihood. In statistics, policymaking and regional planning, næringer are commonly classified into broad groups, such as primærnæringer (primary industries like agriculture, fisheries, and mining), sekundærnæringer (secondary industries such as manufacturing and construction), and tjenestenæringer (service industries like trade, health, and education). Compound forms exist for individual sectors, for example fiskerinæringen and oljenæringen.

The term is neutral and descriptive; it does not presume a value judgment about any sector and can be used to discuss regional economic structure, growth potential, or labor-market composition.

See also: næring, næringsliv, industri, økonomi, arbeidsmarked.