Number of live births in Iceland
Iceland: Number of live births was 4,315 births in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
4,315 births
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
34th
of 34 countries
All-time high
5,025 births
in 2009
All-time low
3,856 births
in 1985
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Number of live births in Iceland, 1960–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
In 2023, number of live births in Iceland stood at 4,315 births.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of live births in Iceland peaked at 5,025 births in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3,856 births, in 1985.
Iceland ranks 34th of 34 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Number of live births in Iceland, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4,916 births | — |
| 1961 | 4,563 births | -7.2% |
| 1962 | 4,711 births | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 4,820 births | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 4,787 births | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 4,721 births | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 4,692 births | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 4,404 births | -6.1% |
| 1968 | 4,227 births | -4.0% |
| 1969 | 4,218 births | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 4,023 births | -4.6% |
| 1971 | 4,277 births | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 4,676 births | +9.3% |
| 1973 | 4,598 births | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 4,276 births | -7.0% |
| 1975 | 4,384 births | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 4,291 births | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 3,996 births | -6.9% |
| 1978 | 4,162 births | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 4,475 births | +7.5% |
| 1980 | 4,528 births | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 4,345 births | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 4,337 births | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 4,371 births | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 4,113 births | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 3,856 births | -6.2% |
| 1986 | 3,881 births | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 4,193 births | +8.0% |
| 1988 | 4,673 births | +11.4% |
| 1989 | 4,560 births | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 4,768 births | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 4,533 births | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 4,609 births | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 4,623 births | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 4,442 births | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 4,280 births | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 4,329 births | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 4,151 births | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 4,178 births | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 4,100 births | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 4,315 births | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 4,091 births | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 4,049 births | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 4,143 births | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 4,234 births | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 4,280 births | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 4,416 births | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 4,560 births | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 4,835 births | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 5,025 births | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 4,907 births | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 4,475 births | -8.8% |
| 2012 | 4,517 births | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 4,313 births | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 4,357 births | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 4,107 births | -5.7% |
| 2016 | 4,026 births | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 4,060 births | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 4,214 births | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 4,439 births | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 4,505 births | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 4,869 births | +8.1% |
| 2022 | 4,382 births | -10.0% |
| 2023 | 4,315 births | -1.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 4,315 births is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 89,018 births, 5% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 4,315 births is below the median for high income countries, which is 98,451 births, 4% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4,606 births | 4,218 births | 4,916 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 4,316 births | 3,996 births | 4,676 births | 10 |
| 1980s | 4,286 births | 3,856 births | 4,673 births | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,401 births | 4,100 births | 4,768 births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,395 births | 4,049 births | 5,025 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,342 births | 4,026 births | 4,907 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,518 births | 4,315 births | 4,869 births | 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 number of live births in Iceland?
- Number of live births in Iceland was 4,315 births in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of live births recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 5,025 births in 2009.
- What is the lowest number of live births recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,856 births in 1985.
- How does Iceland rank for number of live births?
- Iceland ranks 34th out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of live births rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of live births. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of live births recorded in a given year.