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.
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
- 7 Bahamas 75.4% compare
- 8 Sao Tome and Principe 74.5% compare
- 11 Djibouti 70.4% compare
- 12 Hong Kong 64.5% compare
- 13 New Caledonia 64.4% compare
More population data for Iceland
- 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)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.56 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 7,879 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.56 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.56 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.4% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.54 live births per woman (2023)
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.