Iceland Population
Iceland had an estimated population of 392,404 in mid-2025 (World Bank), making it the 176th most populous of 217 countries and territories, with 0.00% of everyone alive. The counter above projects that figure forward at the current growth rate of +1.51% a year.
Iceland at a glance
How Iceland's population is changing
Iceland's population is growing fast: +1.51% a year, which works out to about +5,943 people per year, or +16 a day. Births (11.2 per 1,000) and deaths (6.8 per 1,000) alone would give +0.44% a year; net migration adds about 2,709 people a year (+0.69%). Roughly one in every 20,936 people on Earth lives in Iceland.
Population of Iceland since 1960
In 1960, Iceland had 175,574 people. By 2025 that was 392,404 — 2.2× larger. The fastest growth came between 2013 and 2023, when the population rose by 19%.
| Year | Population | Change vs previous row |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 175,574 | — |
| 1970 | 204,438 | +16.4% |
| 1980 | 228,138 | +11.6% |
| 1990 | 254,826 | +11.7% |
| 2000 | 281,205 | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 318,041 | +13.1% |
| 2020 | 366,463 | +15.2% |
| 2025 | 392,404 | +7.1% |
Iceland from 1800 to 2100
Modelled estimates put Iceland at about 61,428 people in 1800; the UN estimates 398,270 in 2025 (6× 1800) and projects 362,584 for 2100 in its medium scenario. The population is projected to peak around 2049 at 432,999 and decline afterwards.
| Year | Population | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 61,428 | modelled estimate |
| 1850 | 59,333 | modelled estimate |
| 1900 | 77,854 | modelled estimate |
| 1950 | 142,684 | UN estimate |
| 2000 | 281,293 | UN estimate |
| 2025 | 398,270 | UN projection |
| 2050 | 432,997 | UN projection |
| 2075 | 412,221 | UN projection |
| 2100 | 362,584 | UN projection |
Country live/base figures use World Bank estimates; this historical/future chart uses a separate UN series and need not match the World Bank base in overlapping years. Before 1950: HYDE 3.3 / Gapminder reconstructions via Our World in Data — historical modelling, not censuses. 1950–2023: UN World Population Prospects 2024. 2024–2100: UN medium projection. Open the time machine to see the whole map in any year.
Largest listed places in Iceland
9 records sorted by displayed base population. Definitions vary (province/administrative unit, UN urban centre or GeoNames settlement); this is not a harmonised city ranking. Shares use World Bank 2025 country population 392,404. Dates and boundaries may differ. Overlapping entities are not summed.
| # | Place | Population | Definition | Share | Source / reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reykjavík | 217,616 | UN urban centre | 55.46% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 2 | Kópavogur | 40,040 | GeoNames settlement | 10.20% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 3 | Hafnarfjörður | 31,525 | GeoNames settlement | 8.03% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 4 | Reykjanesbær | 19,724 | GeoNames settlement | 5.03% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 5 | Akureyri | 19,219 | GeoNames settlement | 4.90% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 6 | Mosfellsbær | 13,715 | GeoNames settlement | 3.50% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 7 | Garðabær | 11,421 | GeoNames settlement | 2.91% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 8 | Selfoss | 9,000 | GeoNames settlement | 2.29% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 9 | Akranes | 7,411 | GeoNames settlement | 1.89% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
How Iceland compares
Iceland has almost the same population as Bahamas (403,033).
| Rank | Country | Population | vs Iceland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #174 |  Belize | 422,924 | +8% | compare → |
| #175 |  Bahamas | 403,033 | +3% | compare → |
| #177 |  Vanuatu | 335,169 | −15% | compare → |
| #178 |  New Caledonia | 295,333 | −25% | compare → |
Compare Iceland with any country →
Same region (Europe & Central Asia): Russia, Türkiye, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy.
Explore around Iceland
Nearest countries
Iceland has no land border. Closest by distance:
Faroe Islands 54,900 · 7.1× smaller · compare
Greenland 56,831 · 6.9× smaller · compare
Isle of Man 84,118 · 4.7× smaller · compare
Ireland 5,484,367 · 14.0× the population · compare
In its region
Iceland is the 49th most populous of the 58 economies in Europe & Central Asia, holding 0.0% of the region's 932,525,035 people.
Rankings featuring Iceland
- Least densely populated countries #5
- Most urbanised countries #23
- Richest countries by GDP per capita #9
Cities
Reykjavík, Kópavogur, Hafnarfjörður, Reykjanesbær, Akureyri, Mosfellsbær, Garðabær, Selfoss — all Iceland's cities on the map.
World population history · The world when you were born · Iceland when you were born · Time machine · Embed this live counter on your site
About these numbers
Population, growth, birth and death rates, migration, density, age structure, life expectancy, fertility and GDP per capita come from the World Bank Indicators API (latest available year shown beside each figure). The live counter applies the annual growth rate continuously from 1 July 2025 — a model, not a measurement. City populations are the latest census or official estimate held by GeoNames and are not projected. Sub-city units are folded into their parent city.
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Read this country carefully
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.