After having decreased by 0.5 percent due to increasing emigration after the financial crisis in 2009, the annual population growth in Iceland has been positive since 2010. In 2022, the country's population increased by around three percent. At the beginning of 2022, the population of Iceland was 387,758 inhabitants.

Migration

One reason behind Iceland's growing population is immigration to Iceland. The number peaked in 2017, when nearly 15,000 people immigrated to Iceland. A high number of the immigrants who arrived in Iceland in 2021 came from other European countries, the largest group coming from Poland.

Decreasing fertility rate

While the number of births in Iceland increased slightly over recent years after having fallen until 2016, the fertility rate decreased over the last decade. In 2021, the fertility rate in Iceland was 1.82 children per woman. Despite this, Iceland's birth rate is roughly double its death rate, which results in natural population growth.

Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Male: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 65.909 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 66.233 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Male: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 64.894 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.990 % in 2010 and a record low of 56.922 % in 1962. Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Male: Aged 15-64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 5-9: % of Female Population data was reported at 6.790 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.826 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 5-9: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 8.268 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.640 % in 1965 and a record low of 6.636 % in 2010. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 5-9: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 5 to 9 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Over the past decade, the fertility rate in Iceland was slightly decreasing. In 2022, the fertility rate per woman dropped to 1.59 children. These numbers were significantly lower than the global fertility rate. In fact, Europe as a whole had the lowest fertility rates worldwide. Although the numbers for Iceland were quite low, Iceland had one of the highest fertility rates in Europe.

Iceland Population: Average: 50 Years data was reported at 4,363.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,413.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Population: Average: 50 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 956.000 Person from Jun 1841 (Median) to 2017, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,432.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 403.000 Person in 1864. Iceland Population: Average: 50 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G002: Population: Average.

Nearly two thirds of the population in Iceland lived in cities in 2022. However, the share has decreased somewhat over the past 10 years. Furthermore, the share of people living in rural areas increased from 15.5 percent in 2020 to over 21 percent in 2021. In 2022, 241,000 of Iceland's 376,248 inhabitants lived in the capital region.

The death rate in Iceland decreased to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the previous year. This decrease was preceded by an increase in death rate.The crude death rate refers to the number of deaths in a given year, expressed per 1,000 population. When studied in combination with the crude birth rate, the rate of natural population increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Iceland with key insights such as total fertility rate, infant mortality rate, and total life expectancy at birth.

In the Nordic countries, Sweden has the largest population with over ten million inhabitants in 2023. Denmark, Finland, and Norway all have between 5.5 and six million inhabitants, whereas Iceland clearly has the lowest number with only 390,000 people. The population increased in all five Nordic countries over the past 20 years. Aging population In all five Nordic countries, the average age of the population is increasing. In all countries except Iceland, people aged 70 years or more make up the largest age groups. Hence, one of the issues facing the Nordic countries in the coming decades is that of a shrinking working stock, while there will be more elderly people in need of daily care. Births, deaths, and migration The two reasons behind the constantly increasing population in the Nordic countries are that more people are born than people dying, and a positive net migration. Except for Finland, the death rate decreased in all Nordic countries over the past 20 years. However, the fertility rate has also fallen in all five countries in the recent years, meaning that an increasing immigration play an important role in sustaining the population growth.

Iceland IS: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.225 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.338 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.708 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.729 % in 2011 and a record low of 4.027 % in 1990. Iceland IS: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

The fertility rates have fallen in all five Nordic countries over the last years. However, in 2021, the birth rates increased again in all five Nordics countries, besides in Sweden, where the fertility rate stayed the same. This can be explained by the higher number of babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Iceland had the highest fertility rate of the Nordic countries, with 1.6 children born per woman in reproductive age. The global trend of decreasing fertility The Nordics are not the only region with decreasing fertility rates. Globally, fertility rates have been on a steady decline since 2000. While lower-income countries have had more significant declines, they still have more children born per woman than higher-income countries. In 2000, almost 6 children were born per woman in low-income countries, decreasing to 4.62 in 2021. By comparison, nearly 1.71 children were born per woman in high-income countries, falling slightly to 1.55 by 2021. Overall, in 2023, Niger, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo had the highest fertility rates, while Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore had the lowest fertility rates. Impacts of low fertility Greater access to education, challenges between work-life balance, and the costs of raising children can all be linked to falling fertility rates. However, this decline is not without consequences, and many countries are facing social and economic challenges because of aging and shrinking populations. For example, in Japan, where nearly 30 percent of the country is aged 65 or older, an increasing proportion of the government expenditure is going towards social security benefits. Moreover, the very low unemployment rate in Japan can partially be attributed to having a shrinking labor force and fewer people to support the economy.

IMPACT, a validated, comprehensive coronary heart disease model. Supplementary appendix for the Icelandic model. (0.51 MB DOC)

Sweden was the Nordic country that received the highest number of immigrants from 2001 to 2021. In 2021, nearly ****** people immigrated to Sweden, but was overtaken by Denmark in 2022. Sweden was also the country in the region with the highest net migration over the last years. Iceland, which also has the smallest population of the five, had the lowest number of immigrants. Migration to Sweden As the Nordic country with the highest number of migrants, nearly ** percent of survey respondents consider immigration an important issue for Swedish society, more than other European countries. In 2023, most immigrants to Sweden were Swedes returning to the country, followed by India, Poland, and Germany. The need for migration in Nordic nations Migrants often fill in gaps within labor markets that local populations cannot fill. In Nordic nations, these gaps are becoming more apparent as fertility rates decrease. Over the past decade, crude birth rates have decreased in all Nordic countries. Meanwhile, those aged 70 years and older are becoming larger portions of Nordic societies. Declining birth rates combined with aging societies mean that labor markets will be challenged to have enough workers.

Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data was reported at 4.383 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.391 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 3.068 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.391 % in 2016 and a record low of 1.639 % in 1965. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 80 and Above: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Iceland IS: Rural Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 5.681 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.770 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Rural Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 9.591 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.700 % in 1960 and a record low of 5.681 % in 2017. Iceland IS: Rural Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2014 Revision.; Weighted average;

Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population data was reported at 7.099 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.320 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.650 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.278 % in 1982 and a record low of 6.414 % in 1960. Iceland IS: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Female data was reported at 49.825 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 49.835 % for 2016. Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 49.689 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.959 % in 2001 and a record low of 49.441 % in 1970. Iceland IS: Population: as % of Total: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population is the percentage of the population that is female. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Iceland Population: Average: 4 Years data was reported at 4,494.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,520.500 Person for 2016. Iceland Population: Average: 4 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 2,357.000 Person from Jun 1841 (Median) to 2017, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,883.000 Person in 2014 and a record low of 980.000 Person in 1851. Iceland Population: Average: 4 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G002: Population: Average.

Iceland Population: Average: 106 Years data was reported at 0.500 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Population: Average: 106 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 Person from Jun 1841 (Median) to 2017, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.000 Person in 2013 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 2009. Iceland Population: Average: 106 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G002: Population: Average.

Iceland Population: Average: Under 1 Year data was reported at 4,071.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,081.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Population: Average: Under 1 Year data is updated yearly, averaging 2,465.000 Person from Jun 1841 (Median) to 2017, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,985.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 1,310.000 Person in 1847. Iceland Population: Average: Under 1 Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G002: Population: Average.

Iceland Population: Average: 2 Years data was reported at 4,295.500 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,361.000 Person for 2016. Iceland Population: Average: 2 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 2,385.000 Person from Jun 1841 (Median) to 2017, with 177 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,869.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 1,076.000 Person in 1849. Iceland Population: Average: 2 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Iceland . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.G002: Population: Average.