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Iceland
Iceland
Population
386.5K
Rank #176Source: World Bank
Capital
Reykjavik
Source: REST Countries
Region
Europe
Europe & Central Asia
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$33.26B
Rank #108Source: World Bank
Land Area
103.0K km²
Rank #107Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
82.607 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 103,000 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation: mean elevation: 557 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m
Natural Hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activityvolcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the...
Environmental Issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff
Land Use: agricultural land: 18.7% (2011 est.) forest: 0.3% (2011 est.) other: 81% (2011 est.)
Geography Note: 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...
Natural Resources
fishhydropowergeothermal powerdiatomite
People & Society
Fertility Rate
1.59
Population
386.5K
Ethnic Groups
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts (81%)population with foreign background (19%)
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) (67.2%)Roman Catholic (3.9%)Reykjavik Free Church (2.8%)Hafnarfjordur Free Church (2%)Asatru Association (1.2%)The Independent Congregation (0.9%)other religions (4%)none (6.7%)other or unspecified (11.3%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$86,040.531
GDP per Capita PPP
84,256.845
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
82,200
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
26.8
(2019)
(2019)
Unemployment
3.6%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
5.857%
(2024)
(2024)
Public Debt
80.155%
(2023)
(2023)
Energy
Electricity Access
100%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
82.4%
(2021)
(2021)
CO₂ Emissions
3.293 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
11.93 MJ/$
(2022)
(2022)
Renewable Electricity
99.994%
(2016)
(2016)
Environment
Forest Coverage
0.529% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
99.83%
(2023)
(2023)
Mobile Penetration
123.382%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
37.425%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
191.911 M ton-km
(2023)
(2023)
Container Port Traffic
390,000 TEU
(2021)
(2021)
Airports
37,800
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
12,949.61 km(©IRF)
Military
Military Forces
no regular military forces; Icelandic Coast Guard; Icelandic National Police
Personnel Strength
the Icelandic Coast Guard has approximately 250 personnel
Military Expenditure (USD)
$0.00B
Military Expenditure History
0.3% of GDP (2018) 0.3% of GDP (2017) 0.3% of GDP (2016) 0.3% of GDP (2015) 0.5% of GDP (2014)
Equipment & Inventories
the Icelandic Coast Guard's inventory consists of equipment from European suppliers (2019 est.)
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
95.104%
(2020)
(2020)
Primary Enrollment
98.222%
(2023)
(2023)
Secondary Enrollment
108.911%
(2023)
(2023)
Tertiary Enrollment
76.52%
(2023)
(2023)
Education Spending
7.289% of GDP
(2022)
(2022)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
10.144:1
(2015)
(2015)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
4.373
(2023)
(2023)
Safe Water Access
100%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
100%
(2024)
(2024)
Under-5 Mortality
2.6 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
24.048 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
82.578
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
90
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
94%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
0.1%
(2019)
(2019)
Food Insecurity
2.5%
(2023)
(2023)
Youth NEET Rate
9.087%
(2024)
(2024)
Governance
Women in Government
46.032%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
1.45
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Political Stability
1.21
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
1.55
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
1.28
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Rule of Law
1.72
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
1.55
(Strong)
(2023)
(Strong)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
unitary parliamentary republic
Legal System
civil law system influenced by the Danish model
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (since 1 August 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (since 30 November 2017) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the...
Legislative Branch
description: unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 28...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president;...
National Symbols
Flag Description
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...
National Symbols
gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red
National Anthem
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...
Safety
Homicide Rate
1.29 per 100,000
(2023)
(2023)
Travel Information
Language(s): Icelandic
Currency: ISK (kr)
Timezone(s): UTC
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +354
Car Sign: IS
Week Starts: Monday
Photos
The West Fjords are a series of peninsulas in northwestern Iceland, shown in this false-color satellite image. They represent less than one-eighth the country's land area, but their jagged perimeter accounts for more than half of Iceland's total coastline. Black areas represent the sea; light blue snow and ice. Image courtesy of USGS.
The West Fjords are a series of peninsulas in northwestern Iceland, shown in this false-color satellite image. They represent less than one-eighth the country's land area, but their jagged perimeter accounts for more than half of Iceland's total coastline. Black areas represent the sea; light blue snow and ice. Image courtesy of USGS. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
Descent down Hekla across the snowpack. Hekla is an active volcano located in the south of Iceland; it is 1,491 m (4,892 ft) high.
Descent down Hekla across the snowpack. Hekla is an active volcano located in the south of Iceland; it is 1,491 m (4,892 ft) high. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
CIA World Factbook • 2020
Menntaskolinn i Reykjavik (Reykjavik Junior College). Founded in 1096; building erected in 1846. Oldest school in full-time use in Iceland.
Menntaskolinn i Reykjavik (Reykjavik Junior College). Founded in 1096; building erected in 1846. Oldest school in full-time use in Iceland. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
The thundering waters of the Gullfoss Waterfall.
The thundering waters of the Gullfoss Waterfall. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
Descent down Hekla across the snowpack. Hekla is a stratovolcano located in the south of Iceland; it is one of the island's most active volcanoes, having erupted more than 20 times since the ninth century A.D.
Descent down Hekla across the snowpack. Hekla is a stratovolcano located in the south of Iceland; it is one of the island's most active volcanoes, having erupted more than 20 times since the ninth century A.D. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
45 photos available
View All Photos→Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data