Births and deaths in Iceland
Iceland: Births and deaths was 6.83 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
6.83
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
37th
of 41 countries
All-time high
39.16
in 1843
All-time low
5.97
in 1976
Years of data
186
1838–2023
Births and deaths in Iceland, 1838–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 6.83 for births and deaths in 2023.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, births and deaths in Iceland peaked at 39.16 in 1843 and was at its lowest, 5.97, in 1976.
Iceland ranks 37th of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Births and deaths in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | 21.6 | — |
| 1839 | 25.1 | +16.2% |
| 1840 | 19.67 | -21.6% |
| 1841 | 14.98 | -23.8% |
| 1842 | 17.08 | +14.0% |
| 1843 | 39.16 | +129.3% |
| 1844 | 12.75 | -67.4% |
| 1845 | 13.97 | +9.6% |
| 1846 | 33.61 | +140.5% |
| 1847 | 14.35 | -57.3% |
| 1848 | 12.42 | -13.4% |
| 1849 | 14.26 | +14.8% |
| 1850 | 14.92 | +4.6% |
| 1851 | 21.09 | +41.3% |
| 1852 | 14 | -33.6% |
| 1853 | 10.41 | -25.6% |
| 1854 | 13.92 | +33.8% |
| 1855 | 19.17 | +37.7% |
| 1856 | 13.56 | -29.3% |
| 1857 | 15.59 | +14.9% |
| 1858 | 20.09 | +28.9% |
| 1859 | 25.61 | +27.4% |
| 1860 | 36.56 | +42.8% |
| 1861 | 25.19 | -31.1% |
| 1862 | 29.56 | +17.3% |
| 1863 | 22.01 | -25.6% |
| 1864 | 19.19 | -12.8% |
| 1865 | 20.65 | +7.6% |
| 1866 | 33.47 | +62.1% |
| 1867 | 15.75 | -52.9% |
| 1868 | 18.31 | +16.3% |
| 1869 | 23.96 | +30.9% |
| 1870 | 16.96 | -29.2% |
| 1871 | 18.21 | +7.3% |
| 1872 | 23.48 | +29.0% |
| 1873 | 20.28 | -13.7% |
| 1874 | 16.34 | -19.4% |
| 1875 | 17.96 | +9.9% |
| 1876 | 15.81 | -11.9% |
| 1877 | 14.7 | -7.0% |
| 1878 | 16.22 | +10.3% |
| 1879 | 20.71 | +27.7% |
| 1880 | 15.61 | -24.6% |
| 1881 | 17.99 | +15.2% |
| 1882 | 30.77 | +71.1% |
| 1883 | 22.58 | -26.6% |
| 1884 | 15.93 | -29.4% |
| 1885 | 14.06 | -11.7% |
| 1886 | 15.35 | +9.1% |
| 1887 | 19.1 | +24.4% |
| 1888 | 15.04 | -21.3% |
| 1889 | 12.65 | -15.9% |
| 1890 | 20.28 | +60.3% |
| 1891 | 13.51 | -33.4% |
| 1892 | 12.17 | -9.9% |
| 1893 | 12.83 | +5.4% |
| 1894 | 20.1 | +56.7% |
| 1895 | 10.9 | -45.8% |
| 1896 | 11.16 | +2.3% |
| 1897 | 13.63 | +22.2% |
| 1898 | 16.86 | +23.7% |
| 1899 | 15 | -11.0% |
| 1900 | 16.16 | +7.8% |
| 1901 | 12.52 | -22.5% |
| 1902 | 12.66 | +1.1% |
| 1903 | 13.28 | +4.9% |
| 1904 | 13.42 | +1.1% |
| 1905 | 14.84 | +10.6% |
| 1906 | 12.36 | -16.7% |
| 1907 | 13.68 | +10.7% |
| 1908 | 14.69 | +7.4% |
| 1909 | 11.77 | -19.9% |
| 1910 | 12.71 | +8.0% |
| 1911 | 11.43 | -10.1% |
| 1912 | 11.93 | +4.4% |
| 1913 | 10.58 | -11.3% |
| 1914 | 13.95 | +31.8% |
| 1915 | 13.79 | -1.1% |
| 1916 | 12.68 | -8.0% |
| 1917 | 10.74 | -15.3% |
| 1918 | 15.38 | +43.2% |
| 1919 | 10.93 | -29.0% |
| 1920 | 12.28 | +12.4% |
| 1921 | 14.19 | +15.5% |
| 1922 | 11.99 | -15.5% |
| 1923 | 11.98 | -0.1% |
| 1924 | 13.46 | +12.4% |
| 1925 | 11.32 | -15.9% |
| 1926 | 9.89 | -12.6% |
| 1927 | 10.44 | +5.6% |
| 1928 | 9.73 | -6.8% |
| 1929 | 10.71 | +10.1% |
| 1930 | 10.54 | -1.6% |
| 1931 | 10.49 | -0.4% |
| 1932 | 9.74 | -7.2% |
| 1933 | 9.44 | -3.1% |
| 1934 | 9.22 | -2.3% |
| 1935 | 10.71 | +16.2% |
| 1936 | 9.78 | -8.7% |
| 1937 | 10.61 | +8.5% |
| 1938 | 9.69 | -8.7% |
| 1939 | 9.03 | -6.8% |
| 1940 | 9.24 | +2.3% |
| 1941 | 10.4 | +12.6% |
| 1942 | 9.28 | -10.7% |
| 1943 | 9.45 | +1.8% |
| 1944 | 8.67 | -8.3% |
| 1945 | 8.3 | -4.2% |
| 1946 | 7.85 | -5.5% |
| 1947 | 8.13 | +3.6% |
| 1948 | 7.46 | -8.2% |
| 1949 | 7.32 | -1.8% |
| 1950 | 7.32 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 7.18 | -1.9% |
| 1952 | 6.81 | -5.2% |
| 1953 | 6.96 | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 6.47 | -7.1% |
| 1955 | 6.4 | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 6.73 | +5.2% |
| 1957 | 6.62 | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 6.46 | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 6.84 | +5.8% |
| 1960 | 6.35 | -7.2% |
| 1961 | 6.54 | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 6.4 | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 6.77 | +5.8% |
| 1964 | 6.57 | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 6.4 | -2.6% |
| 1966 | 6.85 | +7.0% |
| 1967 | 6.73 | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 6.65 | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 6.92 | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 6.88 | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 7.06 | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 6.72 | -4.8% |
| 1973 | 6.79 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 6.76 | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 6.26 | -7.4% |
| 1976 | 5.97 | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 6.32 | +5.8% |
| 1978 | 6.17 | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 6.49 | +5.2% |
| 1980 | 6.62 | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 7.12 | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 6.69 | -6.0% |
| 1983 | 6.92 | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 6.56 | -5.3% |
| 1985 | 6.77 | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 6.51 | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 6.95 | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 7.23 | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 6.71 | -7.1% |
| 1990 | 6.6 | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 6.92 | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 6.53 | -5.6% |
| 1993 | 6.6 | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 6.42 | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 7.11 | +10.6% |
| 1996 | 6.95 | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 6.74 | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 6.65 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 6.86 | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 6.49 | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 6.05 | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 6.32 | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 6.3 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 6.24 | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 6.22 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 6.32 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.29 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 6.26 | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 6.24 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 6.32 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 6.35 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 6.22 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 6.79 | +9.1% |
| 2014 | 6.38 | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 6.71 | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 7.07 | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 6.7 | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 6.57 | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 6.5 | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 6.47 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 6.47 | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 7.36 | +13.9% |
| 2023 | 6.83 | -7.3% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 6.83 is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.62, 71% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 6.83 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.36, 66% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Births and deaths in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1846 | +140.5% | 13.97 | 33.61 |
| 1843 | +129.3% | 17.08 | 39.16 |
| 1882 | +71.1% | 17.99 | 30.77 |
| 1844 | -67.4% | 39.16 | 12.75 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 23.35 | 21.6 | 25.1 | 2 |
| 1840s | 19.22 | 12.42 | 39.16 | 10 |
| 1850s | 16.84 | 10.41 | 25.61 | 10 |
| 1860s | 24.46 | 15.75 | 36.56 | 10 |
| 1870s | 18.07 | 14.7 | 23.48 | 10 |
| 1880s | 17.91 | 12.65 | 30.77 | 10 |
| 1890s | 14.64 | 10.9 | 20.28 | 10 |
| 1900s | 13.54 | 11.77 | 16.16 | 10 |
| 1910s | 12.41 | 10.58 | 15.38 | 10 |
| 1920s | 11.6 | 9.73 | 14.19 | 10 |
| 1930s | 9.92 | 9.03 | 10.71 | 10 |
| 1940s | 8.61 | 7.32 | 10.4 | 10 |
| 1950s | 6.78 | 6.4 | 7.32 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.62 | 6.35 | 6.92 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.54 | 5.97 | 7.06 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.81 | 6.51 | 7.23 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.74 | 6.42 | 7.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.27 | 6.05 | 6.49 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.56 | 6.22 | 7.07 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.78 | 6.47 | 7.36 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 34 Chile 7 compare
- 35 Ireland 6.91 compare
- 36 South Korea 6.87 compare
- 38 New Zealand 6.79 compare
- 39 Luxembourg 6.66 compare
- 40 Australia 6.66 compare
More health data for Iceland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2085)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4982 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 0 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.1533 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0283 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1097 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0302 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is births and deaths in Iceland?
- Births and deaths in Iceland was 6.83 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest births and deaths recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 39.16 in 1843.
- What is the lowest births and deaths recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.97 in 1976.
- How does Iceland rank for births and deaths?
- Iceland ranks 37th out of 41 countries with data for 2023.
- Is births and deaths rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Births and deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 186 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).