Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland
Iceland: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 59,435 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
59,435 people
Change on year
up 3.5%
World rank
164th
of 236 countries
All-time high
59,435 people
in 2023
All-time low
10,744 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 59,435 people for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.5% on the previous year and up 40.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland peaked at 59,435 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10,744 people, in 1950.
That places Iceland 164th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10,744 people | — |
| 1951 | 11,013 people | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 11,241 people | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 11,461 people | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 11,727 people | +2.3% |
| 1955 | 12,006 people | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 12,375 people | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 12,814 people | +3.5% |
| 1958 | 13,267 people | +3.5% |
| 1959 | 13,714 people | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 14,148 people | +3.2% |
| 1961 | 14,603 people | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 15,024 people | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 15,425 people | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 15,823 people | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 16,233 people | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 16,591 people | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 16,882 people | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 17,234 people | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 17,638 people | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 18,002 people | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 18,368 people | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 18,759 people | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 19,133 people | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 19,540 people | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 19,984 people | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 20,484 people | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 21,015 people | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 21,552 people | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 22,072 people | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 22,505 people | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 22,854 people | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 23,227 people | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 23,650 people | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 24,047 people | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 24,481 people | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 25,065 people | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 25,643 people | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 26,121 people | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 26,590 people | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 27,083 people | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 27,623 people | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 28,185 people | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 28,757 people | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 29,362 people | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 30,017 people | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 30,622 people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 31,181 people | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 31,667 people | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 32,076 people | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 32,529 people | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 33,043 people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 33,531 people | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 33,935 people | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 34,323 people | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 34,771 people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 35,279 people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 35,953 people | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 36,738 people | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 37,574 people | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 38,584 people | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 39,707 people | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 40,954 people | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 42,303 people | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 43,730 people | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 45,243 people | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 46,683 people | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 48,139 people | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 49,788 people | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 51,539 people | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 53,357 people | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 55,361 people | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 57,428 people | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 59,435 people | +3.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 59,435 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 285,676 people, 21% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 59,435 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 941,948 people, 6% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12,036 people | 10,744 people | 13,714 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 15,960 people | 14,148 people | 17,638 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 19,891 people | 18,002 people | 22,072 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 24,418 people | 22,505 people | 26,590 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 29,657 people | 27,083 people | 32,076 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,768 people | 32,529 people | 37,574 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 44,667 people | 38,584 people | 51,539 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 56,395 people | 53,357 people | 59,435 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 161 East Timor 73,843 people compare
- 162 Guinea-Bissau 67,668 people compare
- 163 Equatorial Guinea 66,931 people compare
- 165 Fiji 58,622 people compare
- 166 Bahrain 57,081 people compare
- 167 Djibouti 54,604 people compare
More population data for Iceland
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2688 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 408.78 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4806 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6617 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 3.6 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 13,661 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Iceland was 59,435 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 59,435 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,744 people in 1950.
- How does Iceland rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Iceland ranks 164th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.5%. 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.