Annual change in population in Iceland
Iceland: Annual change in population was 7,191 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
7,191 people
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
142nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
9,323 people
in 2018
All-time low
-456 people
in 2010
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Iceland, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual change in population in Iceland is 7,191 people, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 136.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Iceland peaked at 9,323 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, -456 people, in 2010.
Iceland ranks 142nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in population in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 2,748 people | — |
| 1952 | 2,346 people | -14.6% |
| 1953 | 2,972 people | +26.7% |
| 1954 | 3,522 people | +18.5% |
| 1955 | 3,479 people | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 3,340 people | -4.0% |
| 1957 | 3,676 people | +10.1% |
| 1958 | 3,723 people | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 3,518 people | -5.5% |
| 1960 | 3,564 people | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 3,442 people | -3.4% |
| 1962 | 3,346 people | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 3,298 people | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 3,385 people | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 3,301 people | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 3,260 people | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 3,192 people | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 2,723 people | -14.7% |
| 1969 | 1,864 people | -31.5% |
| 1970 | 1,106 people | -40.7% |
| 1971 | 1,682 people | +52.1% |
| 1972 | 3,038 people | +80.6% |
| 1973 | 3,176 people | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 2,888 people | -9.1% |
| 1975 | 2,756 people | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 2,167 people | -21.4% |
| 1977 | 1,646 people | -24.0% |
| 1978 | 1,738 people | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 2,185 people | +25.7% |
| 1980 | 2,382 people | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 2,607 people | +9.4% |
| 1982 | 3,098 people | +18.8% |
| 1983 | 3,116 people | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 2,545 people | -18.3% |
| 1985 | 1,901 people | -25.3% |
| 1986 | 1,781 people | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 2,669 people | +49.9% |
| 1988 | 3,870 people | +45.0% |
| 1989 | 3,127 people | -19.2% |
| 1990 | 1,981 people | -36.6% |
| 1991 | 2,975 people | +50.2% |
| 1992 | 3,270 people | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 2,673 people | -18.3% |
| 1994 | 2,303 people | -13.8% |
| 1995 | 1,453 people | -36.9% |
| 1996 | 1,451 people | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 2,227 people | +53.5% |
| 1998 | 2,927 people | +31.4% |
| 1999 | 3,329 people | +13.7% |
| 2000 | 3,843 people | +15.4% |
| 2001 | 3,765 people | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 2,551 people | -32.2% |
| 2003 | 2,007 people | -21.3% |
| 2004 | 2,556 people | +27.4% |
| 2005 | 4,680 people | +83.1% |
| 2006 | 7,031 people | +50.2% |
| 2007 | 7,779 people | +10.6% |
| 2008 | 5,857 people | -24.7% |
| 2009 | 1,100 people | -81.2% |
| 2010 | -456 people | -141.5% |
| 2011 | 976 people | -314.0% |
| 2012 | 1,712 people | +75.4% |
| 2013 | 3,040 people | +77.6% |
| 2014 | 3,626 people | +19.3% |
| 2015 | 3,445 people | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 4,609 people | +33.8% |
| 2017 | 7,966 people | +72.8% |
| 2018 | 9,323 people | +17.0% |
| 2019 | 7,849 people | -15.8% |
| 2020 | 5,917 people | -24.6% |
| 2021 | 6,021 people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 7,721 people | +28.2% |
| 2023 | 7,191 people | -6.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 7,191 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,163 people, 2.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 7,191 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,382 people, 47% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +314.0% | -456 people | 976 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3,258 people | 2,346 people | 3,723 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 3,138 people | 1,864 people | 3,564 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,238 people | 1,106 people | 3,176 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,710 people | 1,781 people | 3,870 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,459 people | 1,451 people | 3,329 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,117 people | 1,100 people | 7,779 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,209 people | -456 people | 9,323 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,712 people | 5,917 people | 7,721 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More population data for Iceland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.08 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2688 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 408.78 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4806 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6617 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 3.6 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 13,661 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Iceland?
- Annual change in population in Iceland was 7,191 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 9,323 people in 2018.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -456 people in 2010.
- How does Iceland rank for annual change in population?
- Iceland ranks 142nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 136.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.