Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland
Iceland: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was 1.28 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland stood at 1.28 % change on previous year.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.0% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland peaked at 5.43 % change on previous year in 1951 and was at its lowest, -0.1266 % change on previous year, in 2010.
Iceland ranks 110th of 234 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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 5.43 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 2.19 % change on previous year | -59.6% |
| 1953 | 3.17 % change on previous year | +44.9% |
| 1954 | 3.51 % change on previous year | +10.7% |
| 1955 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -18.5% |
| 1956 | 2.64 % change on previous year | -7.9% |
| 1957 | 3.03 % change on previous year | +15.0% |
| 1958 | 3.21 % change on previous year | +5.8% |
| 1959 | 3.4 % change on previous year | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 2.93 % change on previous year | -13.8% |
| 1961 | 2.76 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 1962 | 2.56 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1963 | 2.42 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 1964 | 2.6 % change on previous year | +7.4% |
| 1965 | 2.41 % change on previous year | -7.3% |
| 1966 | 2.13 % change on previous year | -11.8% |
| 1967 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 1.97 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 1.35 % change on previous year | -31.4% |
| 1970 | 0.8824 % change on previous year | -34.8% |
| 1971 | 1.16 % change on previous year | +31.5% |
| 1972 | 1.97 % change on previous year | +70.2% |
| 1973 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 1.71 % change on previous year | -16.7% |
| 1975 | 1.71 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 1.36 % change on previous year | -20.2% |
| 1977 | 1.04 % change on previous year | -23.5% |
| 1978 | 1.05 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +15.5% |
| 1980 | 1.3 % change on previous year | +6.7% |
| 1981 | 1.43 % change on previous year | +10.5% |
| 1982 | 1.65 % change on previous year | +14.9% |
| 1983 | 1.65 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 1.34 % change on previous year | -19.0% |
| 1985 | 1.03 % change on previous year | -23.2% |
| 1986 | 0.9919 % change on previous year | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 1.41 % change on previous year | +41.7% |
| 1988 | 1.91 % change on previous year | +35.7% |
| 1989 | 1.56 % change on previous year | -18.1% |
| 1990 | 1.02 % change on previous year | -34.9% |
| 1991 | 1.5 % change on previous year | +47.4% |
| 1992 | 1.54 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -22.9% |
| 1994 | 1.04 % change on previous year | -12.5% |
| 1995 | 0.7567 % change on previous year | -27.3% |
| 1996 | 0.7616 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.02 % change on previous year | +34.4% |
| 1998 | 0.7025 % change on previous year | -31.4% |
| 1999 | 1.37 % change on previous year | +94.7% |
| 2000 | 1.55 % change on previous year | +13.5% |
| 2001 | 1.43 % change on previous year | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 1.03 % change on previous year | -27.8% |
| 2003 | 0.8654 % change on previous year | -16.0% |
| 2004 | 1.01 % change on previous year | +16.6% |
| 2005 | 1.53 % change on previous year | +51.7% |
| 2006 | 2.17 % change on previous year | +41.7% |
| 2007 | 2.74 % change on previous year | +26.5% |
| 2008 | 2.66 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 0.755 % change on previous year | -71.6% |
| 2010 | -0.1266 % change on previous year | -116.8% |
| 2011 | 0.2563 % change on previous year | -302.4% |
| 2012 | 0.6457 % change on previous year | +152.0% |
| 2013 | 1.06 % change on previous year | +63.9% |
| 2014 | 1.12 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 1.17 % change on previous year | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 1.46 % change on previous year | +24.7% |
| 2017 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +62.1% |
| 2018 | 2.8 % change on previous year | +18.7% |
| 2019 | 2.36 % change on previous year | -15.8% |
| 2020 | 1.81 % change on previous year | -23.2% |
| 2021 | 1.72 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 2.03 % change on previous year | +18.0% |
| 2023 | 1.86 % change on previous year | -8.4% |
| 2024 | 1.54 % change on previous year | -17.5% |
| 2025 | 1.28 % change on previous year | -17.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 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 | +302.4% | -0.1266 % change on previous year | 0.2563 % change on previous year |
| 2012 | +152.0% | 0.2563 % change on previous year | 0.6457 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.27 % change on previous year | 2.19 % change on previous year | 5.43 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 2.32 % change on previous year | 1.35 % change on previous year | 2.93 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.42 % change on previous year | 0.8824 % change on previous year | 2.05 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.43 % change on previous year | 0.9919 % change on previous year | 1.91 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.09 % change on previous year | 0.7025 % change on previous year | 1.54 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.57 % change on previous year | 0.755 % change on previous year | 2.74 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.31 % change on previous year | -0.1266 % change on previous year | 2.8 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.71 % change on previous year | 1.28 % change on previous year | 2.03 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 107 South Africa 1.35 % change on previous year compare
- 108 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 1.32 % change on previous year compare
- 109 Sri Lanka 1.29 % change on previous year compare
- 111 Fiji 1.27 % change on previous year compare
- 112 Andorra 1.25 % change on previous year compare
- 113 New Caledonia 1.25 % change on previous year 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Iceland was 1.28 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.43 % change on previous year in 1951.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1266 % change on previous year in 2010.
- How does Iceland rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- Iceland ranks 110th out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.