Iceland — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Iceland, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Iceland was 1.51% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.68% in 2018. The lowest was -0.14% in 2010 (about -10.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.39% per year.
Iceland ranks 71 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 33%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 0.30%, so Iceland sits above it. It peaked in 2018 and has fallen 43% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 45%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 10 of 58 economies; Luxembourg (1.46%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 594% in 2025. That is 8% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 133rd of 216 in 1961 → 192nd of 216 in 1970 → 154th of 216 in 1980 → 158th of 216 in 1990 → 107th of 217 in 2000 → 187th of 217 in 2010 → 74th of 217 in 2020 → 71st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.51% | +1.3 pp |
| 2024 | 0.22% | -0.7 pp |
| 2023 | 0.95% | -1.6 pp |
| 2022 | 2.51% | +0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 1.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 1.62% | -0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 2.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 2.35% | +1.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.39% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 1.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 1.11% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 0.95% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 0.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 0.31% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | -0.14% | -0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 0.34% | -1.5 pp |
| 2008 | 1.86% | -0.7 pp |
| 2007 | 2.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 2.35% | +0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 1.58% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 0.88% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 0.69% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 0.89% | -0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 1.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 1.37% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 1.21% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.07% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 0.82% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 0.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 0.54% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 0.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 1.02% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 1.26% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 1.16% | +0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 0.78% | -0.5 pp |
| 1989 | 1.24% | -0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 1.57% | +0.5 pp |
| 1987 | 1.1% | +0.4 pp |
| 1986 | 0.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 0.79% | -0.3 pp |
| 1984 | 1.06% | -0.3 pp |
| 1983 | 1.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 1.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 1981 | 1.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 1.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 0.98% | +0.2 pp |
| 1978 | 0.78% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 0.74% | -0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 0.99% | -0.3 pp |
| 1975 | 1.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 1.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 1.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 1.46% | +0.7 pp |
| 1971 | 0.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 1970 | 0.52% | -0.4 pp |
| 1969 | 0.93% | -0.4 pp |
| 1968 | 1.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 1967 | 1.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 1.69% | -0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 1.73% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 1.78% | -0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 1.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 1.95% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Iceland’s Population growth in 1962?
1.85% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Iceland’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -22.3% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.51%; 2024: 0.22%; 2023: 0.95%; 2022: 2.51%; 2021: 1.64%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.