Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland
Iceland: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 3.62 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.62 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
205th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.62 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.45 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 3.62 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland peaked at 3.62 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.45 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Iceland 205th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.45 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.48 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 1.52 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 1.56 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 1.6 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 1.63 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 1.66 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 1.7 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 1.72 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 1.73 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 1.75 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 1.79 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 1.83 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 1.86 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 1.89 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 1.91 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 1.93 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 1.96 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 1.98 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 2 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 2.03 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 2.07 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.1 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.13 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 2.15 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.17 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 2.2 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.24 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 2.28 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 2.3 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 2.34 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.37 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 2.4 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 2.43 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 2.45 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 2.46 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 2.49 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 2.51 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 2.54 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 2.58 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 2.62 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.64 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 2.67 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 2.69 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.74 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 2.79 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.87 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 2.95 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.97 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 2.97 people per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 2.97 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 2.99 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.02 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.06 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 3.09 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 3.14 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.21 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 3.28 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 3.36 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 3.42 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 3.48 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 3.55 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 3.62 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 3.62 people per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 people per square kilometre, 5% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 3.62 people per square kilometre is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.24 people per square kilometre, 7% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.59 people per square kilometre | 1.45 people per square kilometre | 1.72 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.86 people per square kilometre | 1.73 people per square kilometre | 1.98 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.14 people per square kilometre | 2 people per square kilometre | 2.28 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.43 people per square kilometre | 2.3 people per square kilometre | 2.54 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.75 people per square kilometre | 2.58 people per square kilometre | 2.97 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.11 people per square kilometre | 2.97 people per square kilometre | 3.36 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.52 people per square kilometre | 3.42 people per square kilometre | 3.62 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 202 Canada 3.69 people per square kilometre compare
- 203 Niger 3.67 people per square kilometre compare
- 204 Libya 3.65 people per square kilometre compare
- 206 Central African Republic 3.61 people per square kilometre compare
- 207 Papua New Guinea 3.45 people per square kilometre compare
- 208 Australia 3.01 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Iceland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 408.78 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2688 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 13,661 people (2100)
- Population density 3.6 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6617 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Iceland was 3.62 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.62 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.45 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Iceland rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Iceland ranks 205th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
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
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.