Natural population growth rate in Iceland
Iceland: Natural population growth rate was 0.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
0.4%
Change on year
up 12.9%
World rank
138th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.1%
in 1955
All-time low
0.4%
in 2022
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth rate in Iceland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 0.4% for natural population growth rate in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.9% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in Iceland peaked at 2.1% in 1955 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2022.
Iceland ranks 138th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Natural population growth rate in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.1% | — |
| 1951 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 1952 | 2.0% | +3.1% |
| 1953 | 2.1% | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 2.1% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 2.1% | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 2.1% | -0.8% |
| 1957 | 2.1% | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 2.0% | -3.7% |
| 1959 | 2.1% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 2.1% | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 1.8% | -12.8% |
| 1962 | 1.9% | +3.6% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 1.8% | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 1.8% | -2.9% |
| 1966 | 1.7% | -5.9% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | -9.3% |
| 1968 | 1.4% | -7.4% |
| 1969 | 1.4% | -2.9% |
| 1970 | 1.3% | -6.9% |
| 1971 | 1.3% | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | +13.9% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 1.3% | -12.4% |
| 1975 | 1.4% | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -12.6% |
| 1978 | 1.2% | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 1.3% | +7.9% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -11.4% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -7.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -12.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | +12.3% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | -11.5% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | -5.7% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -14.5% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -6.1% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -7.3% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | +8.6% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -13.0% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -16.2% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -16.5% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +5.2% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | +12.1% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -40.3% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +12.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 0.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 4.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 0.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.1%. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 135 Antigua and Barbuda 0.5% compare
- 136 Costa Rica 0.5% compare
- 137 Australia 0.5% compare
- 139 Greenland 0.4% compare
- 140 New Zealand 0.4% compare
- 141 Cyprus 0.4% compare
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 natural population growth rate in Iceland?
- Natural population growth rate in Iceland was 0.4% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.1% in 1955.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2022.
- How does Iceland rank for natural population growth rate?
- Iceland ranks 138th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.