Urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland
Iceland: Urban population, per square kilometre was 3.6 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 3.6 units per square kilometre for urban population, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland peaked at 3.6 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.45 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Iceland 207th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.45 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.48 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 1.52 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 1.56 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 1.6 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 1.63 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 1.66 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 1.7 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 1.72 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 1.73 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 1.75 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 1.79 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 1.83 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 1.86 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 1.89 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 1.91 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 1.93 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 1.95 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 2 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 2.07 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.1 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.13 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 2.15 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.17 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 2.2 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.25 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 2.28 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 2.3 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 2.34 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 2.37 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 2.4 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 2.43 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 2.44 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 2.46 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 2.49 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 2.51 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 2.54 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 2.58 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 2.62 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.64 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 2.67 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 2.69 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.73 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 2.79 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.87 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 2.95 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.97 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 2.96 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 2.97 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 2.99 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.02 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.06 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 3.09 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 3.14 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.21 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 3.28 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 3.36 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 3.42 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 3.48 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 3.57 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 3.6 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.59 units per square kilometre | 1.45 units per square kilometre | 1.72 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.86 units per square kilometre | 1.73 units per square kilometre | 1.98 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.14 units per square kilometre | 2 units per square kilometre | 2.28 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.43 units per square kilometre | 2.3 units per square kilometre | 2.54 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.75 units per square kilometre | 2.58 units per square kilometre | 2.97 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.11 units per square kilometre | 2.96 units per square kilometre | 3.36 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.52 units per square kilometre | 3.42 units per square kilometre | 3.6 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 204 Niger 3.67 units per square kilometre compare
- 205 Libya 3.65 units per square kilometre compare
- 206 Central African Republic 3.61 units per square kilometre compare
- 208 Papua New Guinea 3.45 units per square kilometre compare
- 209 Australia 3.03 units per square kilometre compare
- 210 Botswana 2.93 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Iceland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 16.80 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in Iceland was 3.6 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.45 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Iceland rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- Iceland ranks 207th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.