Annual population growth in Iceland
Iceland: Annual population growth was 7,191 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
7,191
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
142nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
9,323
in 2018
All-time low
-456
in 2010
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in Iceland, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual population growth in Iceland is 7,191, 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 population growth in Iceland peaked at 9,323 in 2018 and was at its lowest, -456, 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 population growth in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 2,748 | — |
| 1952 | 2,346 | -14.6% |
| 1953 | 2,972 | +26.7% |
| 1954 | 3,522 | +18.5% |
| 1955 | 3,479 | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 3,340 | -4.0% |
| 1957 | 3,676 | +10.1% |
| 1958 | 3,723 | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 3,518 | -5.5% |
| 1960 | 3,564 | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 3,442 | -3.4% |
| 1962 | 3,346 | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 3,298 | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 3,385 | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 3,301 | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 3,260 | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 3,192 | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 2,723 | -14.7% |
| 1969 | 1,864 | -31.5% |
| 1970 | 1,106 | -40.7% |
| 1971 | 1,682 | +52.1% |
| 1972 | 3,038 | +80.6% |
| 1973 | 3,176 | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 2,888 | -9.1% |
| 1975 | 2,756 | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 2,167 | -21.4% |
| 1977 | 1,646 | -24.0% |
| 1978 | 1,738 | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 2,185 | +25.7% |
| 1980 | 2,382 | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 2,607 | +9.4% |
| 1982 | 3,098 | +18.8% |
| 1983 | 3,116 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 2,545 | -18.3% |
| 1985 | 1,901 | -25.3% |
| 1986 | 1,781 | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 2,669 | +49.9% |
| 1988 | 3,870 | +45.0% |
| 1989 | 3,127 | -19.2% |
| 1990 | 1,981 | -36.6% |
| 1991 | 2,975 | +50.2% |
| 1992 | 3,270 | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 2,673 | -18.3% |
| 1994 | 2,303 | -13.8% |
| 1995 | 1,453 | -36.9% |
| 1996 | 1,451 | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 2,227 | +53.5% |
| 1998 | 2,927 | +31.4% |
| 1999 | 3,329 | +13.7% |
| 2000 | 3,843 | +15.4% |
| 2001 | 3,765 | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 2,551 | -32.2% |
| 2003 | 2,007 | -21.3% |
| 2004 | 2,556 | +27.4% |
| 2005 | 4,680 | +83.1% |
| 2006 | 7,031 | +50.2% |
| 2007 | 7,779 | +10.6% |
| 2008 | 5,857 | -24.7% |
| 2009 | 1,100 | -81.2% |
| 2010 | -456 | -141.5% |
| 2011 | 976 | -314.0% |
| 2012 | 1,712 | +75.4% |
| 2013 | 3,040 | +77.6% |
| 2014 | 3,626 | +19.3% |
| 2015 | 3,445 | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 4,609 | +33.8% |
| 2017 | 7,966 | +72.8% |
| 2018 | 9,323 | +17.0% |
| 2019 | 7,849 | -15.8% |
| 2020 | 5,917 | -24.6% |
| 2021 | 6,021 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 7,721 | +28.2% |
| 2023 | 7,191 | -6.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 7,191 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,163, 2.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 7,191 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,382, 47% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual population growth 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 | 976 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3,258 | 2,346 | 3,723 | 9 |
| 1960s | 3,138 | 1,864 | 3,564 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,238 | 1,106 | 3,176 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,710 | 1,781 | 3,870 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,459 | 1,451 | 3,329 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,117 | 1,100 | 7,779 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,209 | -456 | 9,323 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,712 | 5,917 | 7,721 | 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)
- Population growth rate -0.502 (2100)
- Population density 3.6 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 13,661 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in Iceland?
- Annual population growth in Iceland was 7,191 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 9,323 in 2018.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -456 in 2010.
- How does Iceland rank for annual population growth?
- Iceland ranks 142nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).