Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland
Iceland: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 71.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland, 1960–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 71.1% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland peaked at 71.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 57.5%, in 1965.
That places Iceland 10th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 58.3% | — |
| 1965 | 57.5% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 57.6% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 57.8% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 58.0% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 58.5% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 58.3% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 69.3% | +18.9% |
| 2000 | 67.8% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 64.0% | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 63.0% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 71.1% | +16.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 71.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 2.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 71.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.1%, 2.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 57.9% | 57.5% | 58.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 57.7% | 57.6% | 57.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 58.2% | 58.0% | 58.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 63.8% | 58.3% | 69.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 65.9% | 64.0% | 67.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 62.0% | 61.1% | 63.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 71.1% | 71.1% | 71.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More population data for Iceland
- 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)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4806 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Iceland was 71.1% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 71.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.5% in 1965.
- How does Iceland rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Iceland ranks 10th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.