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Rural population — all countries

Rural population — Iceland

Rural population in Iceland in 2025 — 22,689 people. Ranked 190 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 34.2%.

2025 22,689 people +0.9% vs 2024
World rank 190of 217
Period maximum 34,497 people1960
Period minimum 20,667 people2013

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Rural population — Iceland, 1960–202520,00025,00030,00035,00019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 34,497 people1962: 33,673 people1964: 32,787 people1966: 32,193 people1968: 31,434 people1970: 30,582 people1972: 29,811 people1974: 29,061 people1976: 28,224 people1978: 27,561 people1980: 27,178 people1982: 26,641 people1984: 26,053 people1986: 25,399 people1988: 24,670 people1990: 23,939 people1992: 23,115 people1994: 22,746 people1996: 21,943 people1998: 22,812 people2000: 22,588 people2002: 22,521 people2004: 22,087 people2006: 23,710 people2008: 22,014 people2010: 20,804 people2012: 20,799 people2014: 20,888 people2016: 20,857 people2018: 21,683 people2020: 21,487 people2022: 22,238 people2024: 22,487 people2025: 22,689 people
Change over the period: −11,808 (−34.23%) Average annual rate: -0.64 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Iceland

Iceland 22,689 people
World 3.46B people
Europe & Central Asia 242M people
Northern Europe computed 19.81M people
High-income countries computed 274M people
Rural population — Iceland, by year Iceland All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 22,689 +202 +0.9%
2024 22,487 −67 −0.3%
2023 22,554 +316 +1.42%
2022 22,238 +672 +3.12%
2021 21,566 +79 +0.37%
2020 21,487 −229 −1.05%
2019 21,716 +33 +0.15%
2018 21,683 +296 +1.38%
2017 21,387 +530 +2.54%
2016 20,857 +108 +0.52%
2015 20,749 −139 −0.67%
2014 20,888 +221 +1.07%
2013 20,667 −132 −0.63%
2012 20,799 −221 −1.05%
2011 21,020 +216 +1.04%
2010 20,804 −76 −0.36%
2009 20,880 −1,134 −5.15%
2008 22,014 −1,785 −7.5%
2007 23,799 +89 +0.38%
2006 23,710 +1,091 +4.82%
2005 22,619 +532 +2.41%
2004 22,087 −138 −0.62%
2003 22,225 −296 −1.31%
2002 22,521 −148 −0.65%
2001 22,669 +81 +0.36%
2000 22,588 −124 −0.55%
1999 22,712 −100 −0.44%
1998 22,812 +1,173 +5.42%
1997 21,639 −304 −1.39%
1996 21,943 −417 −1.86%
1995 22,360 −386 −1.7%
1994 22,746 −208 −0.91%
1993 22,954 −161 −0.7%
1992 23,115 −342 −1.46%
1991 23,457 −482 −2.01%
1990 23,939 −341 −1.4%
1989 24,280 −390 −1.58%
1988 24,670 −339 −1.36%
1987 25,009 −390 −1.54%
1986 25,399 −358 −1.39%
1985 25,757 −296 −1.14%
1984 26,053 −284 −1.08%
1983 26,337 −304 −1.14%
1982 26,641 −259 −0.96%
1981 26,900 −278 −1.02%
1980 27,178 −184 −0.67%
1979 27,362 −199 −0.72%
1978 27,561 −305 −1.09%
1977 27,866 −358 −1.27%
1976 28,224 −419 −1.46%
1975 28,643 −418 −1.44%
1974 29,061 −245 −0.84%
1973 29,306 −505 −1.69%
1972 29,811 −433 −1.43%
1971 30,244 −338 −1.11%
1970 30,582 −425 −1.37%
1969 31,007 −427 −1.36%
1968 31,434 −568 −1.77%
1967 32,002 −191 −0.59%
1966 32,193 −134 −0.41%
1965 32,327 −460 −1.4%
1964 32,787 −584 −1.75%
1963 33,371 −302 −0.9%
1962 33,673 −373 −1.1%
1961 34,046 −451 −1.31%
1960 34,497 — —

Northern Europe, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

GB United Kingdom 11.59M IE Ireland 1.94M FI Finland 1.44M SE Sweden 1.16M NO Norway 921,833 LT Lithuania 893,162 DK Denmark 670,272 LV Latvia 579,603 EE Estonia 400,092 JE Channel Islands 113,473 IM Isle of Man 40,262 FO Faroe Islands 33,136 IS Iceland 22,689 GL Greenland 6,494
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The population living outside urban settlements. In the catalog this quantity was present only as a share, while the absolute number shows what the share does not: the world's rural population stopped growing only in the 2020s and still exceeds three billion people, even though the share has been falling for half a century. Each country defines a city itself, so cross-country comparisons of this series call for caution.

Important: It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and the criterion for a city is national: in some places it is a settlement of two thousand residents, in others twenty thousand. Comparing the trend within a country is more reliable than comparing countries with each other.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for Iceland

Demography Rural population share

The part of residents living outside cities — the other side of urbanization.

Iceland by year Demography Urban population

The absolute number of city dwellers by country.

Iceland by year Demography Population

Resident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.

Iceland by year Labor Employment in agriculture

The share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Iceland by year
All indicators for Iceland