1981 in Norway

• Monarch – Olav V.^[1]
• Prime Minister – Odvar Nordli (Labour Party) until 4 February, Gro Harlem Brundtland (Labour Party) until 14 October, Kåre Willoch (Conservative Party)

• Norway becomes the first country in the world to enact a law to prevent discrimination against homosexuals.
• The Hessdalen light UFO phenomenon emerged in December and occurred with high frequency for the next several years.
• Norwegian Supreme Court denies the Saami claims to the pastoral lands the Alta Dam was built on.^[2]

• Tor Røste Fossen coaches the Norwegian association football team.^[3]

• 4 February – Gro Harlem Brundtland's First Cabinet was appointed. Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes the first female Prime Minister of Norway.^[4]

• 1 September - The Act of Ombudsperson was entered into force. (First in the world)^[5]
• 13 - 14 September - The Storting election results in a swing for the political "right".^[6]

• 12 October – The government of Gro Harlem Brundtland resigns^[7]
• 13 October – Permission to leave was granted by King Olav V
• 14 October – Willoch's First Cabinet was appointed.

• 5 November – Five people are killed when a seaplane crashes in the Forsand Municipality.

• 6 December – The 1981 Parliamentary election takes place.

• *Betrayal* (*Løperjenten*), a Norwegian drama film directed by Vibeke Løkkeberg.
• *Little Ida* (*Liten Ida*), a Norwegian–Swedish drama film based on the novel by Marit Paulsen.

• 8 January – Kristin Mürer Stemland, cross-country skier.^[8]
• 9 January – Ole Erevik, handball player.^[9]
• 9 January – Christian Møllerop, LGBT rights activist
• 12 January – Solveig Gulbrandsen, footballer
• 18 January – Maria Parr, children's writer.^[10]
• 18 January – Martin Taxt, jazz musician
• 19 January – Bjørn Arve Lund, footballer
• 27 January – Thomas Løvold, curler
• 28 January – Erlend Hanstveit, footballer

• 3 February – Guri Melby, politician
• 13 February – Ingrid Lønningdal, artist
• 19 February – Thomas Holm, footballer
• 25 February – Anne Solsvik, politician
• 28 February – Tjostolv Moland, army officer and security contractor (died 2013)

• 5 March – Mazyar Keshvari, politician
• 7 March – Mona Fastvold, filmmaker and actress
• 8 March – Jonas Solberg Andersen, ice hockey player
• 17 March – Simen Brenne, footballer
• 18 March – Tora Berger, biathlete.^[11]
• 18 March – Ingrid Olava, singer and musician
• 21 March – Leni Larsen Kaurin, footballer
• 21 March – Arcane Station, musician, producer and songwriter
• 23 March – Ragnhild Kvarberg, middle distance and long-distance runner
• 25 March – Cato Sundberg, musician
• 25 March – Roy Hegreberg, road bicycle racer
• 28 March – Jan Grue, writer and linguist.^[12]

• 1 April – Helene Bøksle, singer and actress
• 1 April – Bjørn Einar Romøren, ski jumper
• 2 April – Patrick Holtet, footballer
• 7 April – Amund Maarud, blues/rock musician and composer
• 8 April – Nils Bech, singer
• 8 April – Mari Hagen, politician
• 9 April – Charlotte Frogner, actress
• 15 April – Jon Reidar Øyan, gay rights activist and politician
• 18 April – Hedvig Bjelkevik, speed skater
• 19 April – Lise Klaveness, lawyer and footballer.^[13]
• 19 April – Jan Gunnar Solli, footballer
• 23 April – Lars-Henrik Paarup Michelsen, politician
• 27 April – Hilde Marie Kjersem, artist, musician and songwriter
• 30 April – Kristin Størmer Steira, cross-country skier

• 14 May – Iselin Nybø, politician
• 19 May – Janicke Gunvaldsen, racing cyclist
• 25 May – Anette Trettebergstuen, politician
• 27 May – Hanne Blåfjelldal, politician

• 3 June – Kristoffer Paulsen Vatshaug, footballer
• 4 June – Linn Nyrønning, footballer
• 4 June – Jan Trygve Røyneland, television and film writer
• 12 June – Afua Hirsch, writer, broadcaster, and former barrister
• 16 June – Ola Kvernberg, jazz violinist and composer.
• 16 June – Richard Skog, strongman competitor
• 16 June – Knut Walde, footballer
• 20 June – Brede Hangeland, footballer
• 20 June – Lene Storløkken, footballer.^[14]

• 1 July – Kirsti Bergstø, politician
• 13 July – Sigurd Hole, jazz musician
• 16 July – Vigdis Hårsaker, handball player
• 18 July – Sturla Torkildsen, fencer
• 19 July – Anne Lise Frøkedal, singer-songwriter
• 23 July – Lisa Aisato, illustrator and visual artist.^[15]
• 27 July – Sverre Krogh Sundbø, poker player
• 28 July – Lars Fredrik Frøislie, musician
• 28 July – Frank Kjosås, actor
• 29 July – Gjermund Larsen, traditional folk musician and composer

• 1 August – Pia Haraldsen, TV personality
• 3 August – Ingvild Stensland, footballer
• 3 August – Erlend Tvinnereim, operatic tenor
• 7 August – Ingvill Måkestad Bovim, track and field athlete
• 7 August – Ann Iren Mørkved, footballer
• 9 August – Azar Karadaş, soccer player
• 21 August – Jon Engen-Helgheim, politician
• 28 August – Marius Johnsen, footballer

• 1 September – Inger Lise Hansen, politician
• 3 September – Fredrik Klock, footballer
• 8 September – Morten Gamst Pedersen, footballer
• 10 September – Morten Adamsen, competition rower.^[16]
• 11 September – Vemund Brekke Skard, footballer
• 22 September – Ingrid Vetlesen, soprano
• 23 September – Ryan Wiik, actor and entrepreneur
• 25 September – Leo Olsen, footballer
• 27 September – Espen Hægeland, footballer
• 28 September – Cecilia Brækhus, professional boxer and kickboxer

• 2 October – Helge Nitteberg, journalist and newspaper editor.^[17]
• 8 October – Sten Ove Eike, footballer
• 13 October – Vidar Norheim, drummer and songwriter
• 24 October – Fredrik Mikkelsen, musician and composer
• 28 October – Andreas Loven, jazz pianist
• 29 October – Lene Alexandra, singer and model
• 30 October – Lars Petter Sveen, novelist.^[18]

• 3 November – Gunhild Følstad, footballer
• 20 November – Marit Tveite Bystøl, ski mountaineer
• 20 November – Espen Hoff, footballer
• 30 November – Belinda Braza, singer, choreographer, artist and actor

• 6 December – Morten Værnes, ice sledge hockey player
• 17 December – Kim Myhr, guitarist and composer
• 19 December – Bjørnar Moxnes, politician
• 19 December – Espen Nystuen, footballer
• 20 December – John Olav Nilsen, singer and songwriter
• 24 December – Solveig Heilo, composer, artist, musician, music producer, arranger, designer and costume designer

• Lars Akerhaug, journalist and non-fiction author
• Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, jazz and rock musician
• Marius Bjugan, orienteering competitor
• Ida Hegazi Høyer, writer
• Annette Münch, children's writer, playwright and non-fiction writer.^[19]
• Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, orienteering competitor.^[20]
• Kjersti Reenaas, ski-orienteering competitor
• Julian Skar, composer and multi-media artist
• Todd Terje, DJ, songwriter, and record producer

• 3 January – Karl Evang, physician and civil servant (born 1902).^[21]
• 4 January – Aage Thor Falkanger Sr., judge (born 1902)
• 9 January – Jack Nielsen, tennis player (born 1896)
• 12 January – Olav Marensius Strandås, politician (born 1900)
• 16 January – Birger Haug, high jumper (born 1908)
• 20 January – Richard Frydenlund, wrestler (born 1891)
• 22 January – Torgeir Svendsen, politician (born 1910).^[22]
• 29 January – Karl Ludvig Bugge, civil servant (born 1902)
• 1 February – Geirr Tveitt, composer and pianist (born 1908)
• 11 February – Haakon Olsen Wika, politician (born 1899)
• 12 February – Trygve de Lange, lawyer (born 1918)
• 21 February – Julla Sæthern, barrister, feminist, politician (born 1901).^[23]
• 11 March – Jonas Enge, politician (born 1908)
• 30 March – Christian L. Holm, politician (born 1892)

• 4 April – Aanund Bjørnsson Berdal, engineer (born 1888).^[24]
• 15 April – Birger Brekke, Scout leader (born 1891)
• 15 April – Anton Fredrik Klaveness, equestrian and ship-owner (born 1903)
• 28 April – Kristian Horn, botanist and humanist (born 1903)
• 5 May – Rolf Bloch Hansen, military officer and skiing official (born 1894)
• 9 May – Rolf Just Nilsen, singer and actor (born 1931)
• 11 May – Odd Hassel, physical chemist and Nobel Laureate (born 1897)
• 18 May – Ola Høyland, politician (born 1890)
• 22 May – Reimar Riefling, classical pianist, music teacher, and music critic (born 1898)
• 23 May – Johan Georg A. Ræder, diplomat (born 1905)
• 29 May – Mette Lange-Nielsen, actress (born 1929)
• 7 June – Lars Johan Danbolt, priest (born 1895)
• 7 June – Asbjørn Listerud, politician (born 1905)
• 11 June – Kristian Østby, naval aviator (born 1900)
• 14 June – Henry Imsland, illustrator (born 1900)
• 22 June – Petter Hol, gymnast (born 1883)
• 25 June – Otto Hjersing Munthe-Kaas, politician, businessman and military officer (born 1883)

• 5 July – Olav Larssen, newspaper editor and politician (born 1894)
• 6 July – Kaare Fostervoll, educator and politician (born 1891)
• 9 July – Nikolai Paul Kornelius Molvik, politician (born 1905)
• 19 July – John Aalmo, (born 1902)
• 31 July – Christian Stray, lawyer and politician (born 1894)
• 2 August – Kåre Norum, educator (born 1907).^[25]
• 11 August – Arne Skaare, politician (born 1907)
• 15 August – Jørgen Løvset, professor of medicine, gynecology and obstetrics (born 1896)
• 25 August – Jens Gram Dunker, architect (born 1892)
• 26 August – Tove Mohr, physician and proponent for women's rights (born 1891)
• 28 August – Bjarne Fjærtoft, politician (born 1899)
• 11 September – Erling Østerberg, police officer (born 1901).^[26]
• 26 September – Jens Edv. Haugland, politician (born 1924)

• 9 October – Per Arneberg, poet, prosaist and translator (born 1901)
• 26 October – Olaf Sunde, lawyer and workers' rights activist (born 1915)
• 31 October – Bent Røiseland, politician (born 1902)
• 4 November – Sverre Helgesen, high jumper (born 1903)
• 25 November Sigbjørn Hølmebakk, author (born 1922)
• 17 December – Ada Kramm, stage and film actress (born 1899)
• 18 December – Olav Rasmussen Langeland, politician (born 1904)

• Alf-Jørgen Aas, painter (born 1915)
• Tor Hermod Refsum, painter (born 1894)
• Knut Robberstad, jurist and philologist (born 1899)