Statistics Iceland announces a publication in the Statistical Series Hagtíðindi. The current issue is devoted to population increase in Iceland. A summary in English is included.

Population increase in Iceland has been very high for the past few years compared with other European countries. The population increase in 2007 was 1.9% as compared with 2.6% in 2006 and 2.2% in 2005. The population increase in 2005 and 2006 was unusually high, both compared with other countries and previous years in Iceland. For the past few years the average population increase in Europe has been around 0.2%.

The steep increase in population in Iceland between 2004 and 2007 has mainly been due to increased immigration. Until the early 1980s the population increase in Iceland was mainly due to natural increase (i.e. births exceeding deaths). In that period immigration rarely exceeded emigration. Since the late 1980s, natural increase has been around 0.8% a year. At the same time net immigration has increased and was 1.8% in 2006 and 1% in 2007.

The number of foreign nationals in Iceland is growing every year. On 1 January 2008 foreign nationals were 6.8% of the total population, as compared with 6% the previous year and 4.6% 1 January 2006. The proportion of foreign nationals in Iceland is now higher than in the other Nordic countries. In part, this difference between Iceland and its neighbouring countries may be explained by longer history of immigration in the other Nordic countries. Thus a higher proportion of immigrants in the other Nordic countries have gained citizenship in the new country than is the case with Iceland.

Population 1 January 2008 - Statistical Series

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