ARCHIVE // IS // 2024
Iceland
2024 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 141,816 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently); RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik; there are 3 privately owned TV stations; Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik; Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2; N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland; Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik; all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections RUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide); there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country. In addition, there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.is
Internet users
[time series]
total: 370,000 (2021 est.) percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: Iceland has one of the smallest yet most progressive telecom markets in Europe; the country in 2020 became the top in Europe for fiber penetration; it aims to provide a fixed broadband service of at least 100Mb/s to 99.9% of the population by the end of 2021, an ambitious target by international standards and one which it is likely to achieve given the progress which operators have made in extending the reach of fiber networks; there is effective competition in the mobile and broadband markets, with a number of players having emerged to challenge the dominance of the two leading operators which have interests across the telecom sectors; the telecom market has shown some resilience in recent years following the significant economic downturn a decade ago, supported by continuing investment in mobile and fixed-line broadband infrastructure by operators and well as by the government s Telecommunications Fund which is supporting Next Generation Access networks, particularly in rural areas (2022) domestic: 27 per 100 for fixed line and nearing 118 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021) international: country code - 354; landing points for the CANTAT-3, FARICE-1, Greenland Connect and DANICE submarine cable system that provides connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, UK, Denmark, and Germany; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) (2019)
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 93,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 457,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
milk, chicken, barley, lamb/mutton, potatoes, pork, beef, eggs, other meats, cucumbers/gherkins (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $9 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $9.498 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: A (2017) Moody's rating: A2 (2019) Standard & Poors rating: A (2017) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance
[time series]
$324.663 million (2023 est.) -$498.416 million (2022 est.) -$687.447 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Economic overview
[time series]
high-income north Atlantic island economy; non-EU member but market integration via European Economic Area (EEA); dominant tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries vulnerable to demand swings and volcanic activity; inflation remains above target rate; barriers to foreign business access and economic diversification
Exchange rates
[time series]
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 137.943 (2023 est.) 135.28 (2022 est.) 126.989 (2021 est.) 135.422 (2020 est.) 122.607 (2019 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$13.49 billion (2023 est.) $13.109 billion (2022 est.) $9.606 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
fish, aluminum, iron alloys, aluminum wire, animal meal (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
[time series]
Netherlands 27%, UK 9%, US 8%, Germany 8%, France 6% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$31.02 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 50% (2023 est.) government consumption: 25.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 3.9% (2023 est.) industry: 21% (2023 est.) services: 64.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
26.1 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 4% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 22.1% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports
[time series]
$13.484 billion (2023 est.) $13.146 billion (2022 est.) $10.065 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
refined petroleum, aluminum oxide, cars, carbon-based electronics, aircraft (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
[time series]
Norway 12%, Netherlands 10%, Denmark 8%, Germany 8%, China 7% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
3.24% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
[time series]
tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
8.74% (2023 est.) 8.31% (2022 est.) 4.44% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
[time series]
239,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Population below poverty line
[time series]
8.8% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt
[time series]
86.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$26.155 billion (2023 est.) $25.134 billion (2022 est.) $23.084 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
4.06% (2023 est.) 8.88% (2022 est.) 5.15% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$66,500 (2023 est.) $65,800 (2022 est.) $62,000 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances
[time series]
0.66% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.67% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.74% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$5.809 billion (2023 est.) $5.887 billion (2022 est.) $7.079 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
22.52% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
[time series]
3.56% (2023 est.) 3.79% (2022 est.) 6.03% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 9.2% (2023 est.) male: 10.5% (2023 est.) female: 7.9% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
3.579 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 514,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.065 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Coal
[time series]
consumption: 188,000 metric tons (2022 est.) exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton imports: 113,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 3.006 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 19.296 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 568.767 million kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
hydroelectricity: 70.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) geothermal: 29.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
refined petroleum consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 5.79 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 2.06 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.59 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Environment - current issues
[time series]
water pollution from fertilizer runoff
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geoparks
[time series]
total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 global geoparks and regional networks: Katla; Reykjanes (2023)
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 18.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.) forest: 0.3% (2018 est.) other: 81% (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
170 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 80 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 200 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 300,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 94% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 525,000 tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 293,003 tons (2013 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 55.8% (2013 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total : 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky
Climate
[time series]
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline
[time series]
4,970 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 557 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note
[time series]
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
Irrigated land
[time series]
0.5 sq km (2020)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 0 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 18.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.) forest: 0.3% (2018 est.) other: 81% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom
Map references
[time series]
Arctic Region
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural hazards
[time series]
earthquakes and volcanic activity volcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar
Natural resources
[time series]
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Population distribution
[time series]
Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west
Terrain
[time series]
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur
Capital
[time series]
name: Reykjavik geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "smoky bay" in Icelandic and refers to the steamy, smoke-like vapors discharged by hot springs in the area
Citizenship
[time series]
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 to 7 years
Constitution
[time series]
history: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence) amendments: proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland also require passage by referendum; amended many times, last in 2013
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Iceland local long form: none local short form: Island etymology: Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island; he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Carrin F. PATMAN (since 6 October 2022) embassy: Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik mailing address: 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 595-2200 FAX: [354] 562-9118 email address and website: ReykjavikConsular@state.gov https://is.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Svanhildur H lm VALSD TTIR (since 18 September 2024) chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 email address and website: washington@mfa.is https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON (since 9 April 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 1 June 2024 (next to be held in June 2028); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister election results: 2024: percent of vote - Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 34.1%, Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (Left-Green Movement) 25.2%, Halla Hrund LOGADOTTIR (independent) 15.7%, Jon GNARR (Social Democratic Alliance) 10.1%, Baldur PORHALLSSON (independent) 8.4%, other 6.5% 2020: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8% 2016: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON elected president; Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 39.1%, Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 27.9%, Andri Sn r MAGNASON (Democracy Movement) 14.3%, David ODDSSON (independent) 13.7%, other 5%
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean
Government type
[time series]
unitary parliamentary republic
Independence
[time series]
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th Century independence movement)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
[time series]
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period subordinate courts: Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system influenced by the Danish model
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 30 November 2024 (next to be held by 30 November 2028) election results: seats by party - SDA 15, IP 14, Reform Party 11, People's Party 10, CP 8, PP 5; composition - men 34, women 29; percentage women 46%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise) lyrics/music: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON note: adopted 1944; also known as "O, Gud vors lands" (O, God of Our Land), the anthem was originally written and performed in 1874
National heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Thingvellir National Park (c); Surtsey (n); Vatnaj kull National Park - Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice (n)
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red
Political parties
[time series]
Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) Pirate Party (Piratar) Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP Reform Party (Vidreisn) Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, which was established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter-century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but the global financial crisis hit Iceland especially hard in the years after 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, primarily thanks to a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
Iceland was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Iceland is the only NATO member that has no standing military force; defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment and NATO maintains an air policing presence in Icelandic airspace; Iceland participates in international peacekeeping missions with the civilian-manned Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) Iceland cooperates with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009 in 1951, Iceland and the US concluded an agreement to make arrangements regarding the defense of Iceland and for the use of facilities in Iceland to that end; the agreement, along with NATO membership, is one of the two pillars of Iceland s security policy; since 2007 Iceland has concluded cooperation agreements with Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the UK; it also has regular consultations with Germany and France on security and defense (2024)
Military and security forces
[time series]
no regular military forces; the Icelandic National Police, the nine regional police forces, and the Icelandic Coast Guard fall under the purview of the Ministry of Justice (2024) note: the Icelandic Coast Guard is responsible for operational defense tasks in Iceland including but not limited to operation of Keflavik Air Base, special security zones, and Iceland's air defense systems
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the Icelandic Coast Guard's inventory consists of equipment from mostly European suppliers (2024)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 36,692/female 35,239) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 116,210/female 113,810) 65 years and over: 17.1% (2024 est.) (male 29,366/female 32,719)
Alcohol consumption per capita
[time series]
total: 7.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
12.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
Current health expenditure
[time series]
9.6% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
45.1% (2023 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Demographic profile
[time series]
Iceland is one of the most gender-equal countries in the world. Its welfare policies enable both men and women to balance work and family life. Iceland lagged its Nordic neighbors in introducing new childcare policies, and even when they did in the 1990s, parents still faced a childcare gap between the paid parental leave period and the start of pre-school. The female labor participation rate continued to grow from the 1960s to the 2000s, as women s educational attainment increased. Icelanders are marrying later, if they marry at all, and people are having children later. The interval between births has decreased. Non-marital cohabitation and childbearing outside of marriage are common. Approximately 2 out of 3 children are born out of wedlock, which is among the highest in Europe. Iceland s total fertility rate (TFR) has been fairly stable, hovering around replacement level (2.1 children per woman), for decades a rate higher even than its Nordic neighbors. Iceland has fluctuated over time between being a country of net emigration and one of net immigration. Most Icelandic emigrants return to their native country after a few years. From 1960 to 1996, Iceland registered a net outflow, followed by a net inflow until the 2008 banking crisis. During and after the crisis, more Icelanders left the country than immigrated to it. Following the crisis, Iceland returned to being a country of net immigration. In 2017, the country s foreign-born population accounted for 11% of the population and 17% had an immigrant background. The countries of origin have become more diverse over time, with Polish immigrants composing the largest share in 2017. Foreigners acquiring Icelandic citizenship must have a basic comprehension of the Icelandic language. The requirement that new citizens modify or change their names to be more Icelandic was dropped in 1996. The most popular emigration destination was Sweden, followed by Denmark and Norway in 2021.
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 50.5 youth dependency ratio: 28 elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 potential support ratio: 4.5 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
7.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Icelandic 78.7%, Polish 5.8%, Danish 1%, Ukrainian 1%, other 13.5% (2024 est.) note : data represent population by country of birth
Gross reproduction rate
[time series]
0.95 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
2.8 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 1.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
Icelandic, English, Polish, Nordic languages, German
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 84 years (2024 est.) male: 81.8 years female: 86.3 years
Literacy
[time series]
total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
216,000 REYKJAVIK (capital) (2018)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 38 years (2024 est.) male: 37.4 years female: 38.6 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
28.7 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Net migration rate
[time series]
2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
21.9% (2016)
Physician density
[time series]
4.14 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Population
[time series]
total: 364,036 male: 182,268 female: 181,768 (2024 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.85% (2024 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 58.6% Roman Catholic 3.8%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.6%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 1.9%, pagan worship 1.5%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.4%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 18.7%, none 7.7% (2024 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 19 years male: 18 years female: 21 years (2020)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
[time series]
total: 12% (2020 est.) male: 11.9% (2020 est.) female: 12% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.94 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 94% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
stateless persons: 68 (2022)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
83 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
TF
Heliports
[time series]
1 (2024)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 39 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 32
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 63 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,819,740 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 163.65 million (2018) mt-km
Ports
[time series]
total ports: 43 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 17 size unknown: 22 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Grundartangi, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar
Roadways
[time series]
total: 12,905 km (2021)