Population in Iceland
Iceland: Population was 387,559 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
387,559 people
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
178th
of 236 countries
All-time high
387,559 people
in 2023
All-time low
142,684 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Iceland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 387,559 people for population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is 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.
Iceland ranks 178th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 142,684 people | — |
| 1951 | 145,432 people | +1.9% |
| 1952 | 147,778 people | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 150,750 people | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 154,272 people | +2.3% |
| 1955 | 157,751 people | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 161,091 people | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 164,767 people | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 168,490 people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 172,008 people | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 175,572 people | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 179,014 people | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 182,360 people | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 185,658 people | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 189,043 people | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 192,344 people | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 195,604 people | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 198,796 people | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 201,519 people | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 203,383 people | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 204,489 people | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 206,171 people | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 209,209 people | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 212,385 people | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 215,273 people | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 218,029 people | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 220,196 people | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 221,842 people | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 223,580 people | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 225,765 people | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 228,147 people | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 230,754 people | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 233,852 people | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 236,968 people | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 239,513 people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 241,414 people | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 243,195 people | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 245,864 people | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 249,734 people | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 252,861 people | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 254,842 people | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 257,817 people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 261,087 people | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 263,760 people | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 266,063 people | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 267,516 people | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 268,967 people | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 271,194 people | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 274,121 people | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 277,450 people | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 281,293 people | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 285,058 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 287,609 people | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 289,616 people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 292,172 people | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 296,852 people | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 303,883 people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 311,662 people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 317,519 people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 318,619 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 318,163 people | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 319,139 people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 320,851 people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 323,891 people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 327,517 people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 330,962 people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 335,571 people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 343,537 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 352,860 people | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 360,709 people | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 366,626 people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 372,647 people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 380,368 people | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 387,559 people | +1.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 387,559 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million people, 13% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 387,559 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.36 million people, 6% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
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
- 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 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
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.