Population in Iceland
Iceland: Population was 387,559 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population in Iceland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Iceland is 387,559 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Iceland peaked at 387,559 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 142,684 people, in 1950.
That places Iceland 178th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 156,502 people | 142,684 people | 172,008 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 190,329 people | 175,572 people | 203,383 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 215,694 people | 204,489 people | 225,765 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 240,230 people | 228,147 people | 252,861 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 266,282 people | 254,842 people | 277,450 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 298,428 people | 281,293 people | 318,619 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 333,320 people | 318,163 people | 360,709 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 376,800 people | 366,626 people | 387,559 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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 population in Iceland?
- Population in Iceland was 387,559 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 387,559 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 142,684 people in 1950.
- How does Iceland rank for population?
- Iceland ranks 178th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.