Population growth in Iceland 2023

This statistic shows the population growth in Iceland from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, Iceland's population increased by approximately 2.99 percent compared to the previous year. 

Iceland's recovery

Population growth in Iceland took a nose dive after the economic crisis of 2008; in 2007, the population growth rate was as high at 2.53 percent, but by 2010 it had dipped into the red figures. One reason for this may be that during the economic crisis unemployment went up, which may have caused some Icelanders to leave the country in search of work elsewhere, or reducing so-called economic migration into the country, as Iceland had been experiencing significant economic strength before the crisis.

GDP growth did not begin to recover until 2011. Also, interestingly, the year after the crisis, the fertility rate went up slightly, but not for long - the fertility rate is now below the natural replacement rate. Iceland views childcare as a state responsibility, and most children attend daycare at a young age allowing both parents the option to work if they desire to do so. This is most likely possible because the total Icelandic population is actually quite small. As few as 330,000 people inhabit the island as of 2015, so maintaining the number of inhabitants while keeping the economy running and stable is of particular importance. Icelandic people also live a long time, due to a high standard of living, and life expectancy is on average 82 years of age - one of the highest life expectancies in the world.