Population growth in Iceland
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Iceland increased from 175,574.00 to 372,520.00 people. This is a growth of 112.2 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Iceland was recorded in 2018 with 2.71 percent. The biggest decrease in 2010 with -0.14 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Iceland rose by 1.80 years from 2012 to 2021 from 35.30 to 37.10 years (median value).
Around 94 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.7 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Iceland
Population development in Iceland since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants) On average, 2.3 people live together per household in Iceland.| Year | Population Iceland | Change Iceland | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 179,000 | 1.97 % | 25.5 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 182,000 | 1.87 % | 25.8 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 186,000 | 1.80 % | 26.0 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 189,000 | 1.79 % | 25.3 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 192,000 | 1.75 % | 24.6 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 196,000 | 1.71 % | 24.0 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 199,000 | 1.63 % | 22.2 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 201,000 | 1.38 % | 21.0 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 203,000 | 0.93 % | 20.7 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 204,000 | 0.53 % | 19.7 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 206,000 | 0.81 % | 20.8 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 209,000 | 1.47 % | 22.4 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 212,000 | 1.52 % | 21.7 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 215,000 | 1.36 % | 19.9 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 218,000 | 1.29 % | 20.1 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 220,000 | 1.00 % | 19.5 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 222,000 | 0.75 % | 18.0 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 224,000 | 0.78 % | 18.6 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 226,000 | 0.98 % | 19.8 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 228,000 | 1.06 % | 19.8 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 231,000 | 1.15 % | 18.8 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 234,000 | 1.35 % | 18.5 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 237,000 | 1.33 % | 18.4 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 240,000 | 1.07 % | 17.2 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 241,000 | 0.79 % | 16.0 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 243,000 | 0.74 % | 16.4 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 246,000 | 1.10 % | 16.6 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 250,000 | 1.58 % | 18.7 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 253,000 | 1.25 % | 18.0 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 255,000 | 0.78 % | 18.7 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 258,000 | 1.17 % | 17.6 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 261,000 | 1.26 % | 17.7 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 264,000 | 1.02 % | 17.5 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 266,000 | 0.87 % | 16.7 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 267,000 | 0.54 % | 16.0 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 269,000 | 0.54 % | 16.1 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 271,000 | 0.82 % | 15.3 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 274,000 | 1.08 % | 15.2 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 277,000 | 1.22 % | 14.8 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 281,000 | 1.38 % | 15.3 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 285,000 | 1.34 % | 14.4 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 288,000 | 0.90 % | 14.1 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 290,000 | 0.69 % | 14.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 292,000 | 0.88 % | 14.5 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 297,000 | 1.60 % | 14.4 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 304,000 | 2.38 % | 14.5 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 312,000 | 2.56 % | 14.6 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 317,000 | 1.88 % | 15.2 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 318,000 | 0.34 % | 15.8 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 318,000 | -0.14 % | 15.4 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 319,000 | 0.31 % | 14.1 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 321,000 | 0.53 % | 14.1 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 324,000 | 0.95 % | 13.4 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 327,000 | 1.12 % | 13.4 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 331,000 | 1.05 % | 12.5 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 335,000 | 1.40 % | 12.0 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 343,000 | 2.37 % | 11.9 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 353,000 | 2.71 % | 12.0 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 361,000 | 2.22 % | 12.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 366,000 | 1.64 % | 12.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 373,000 | 1.65 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Iceland
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Iceland increased by about 5,900 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 6.3 per 1,000 people (~ 2,270 deaths) and the birth rate was 12.3 per 1,000 people (~ 4,430 births). As a result, around 3,740 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 2,173 in Iceland. The number of births was 4,317 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
Times for sunrise and sunset in New Zealand