For the past two years, population increase in Iceland has been higher than in any other country in Europe. This is mainly due to increased immigration. In 2006 6% of Iceland’s population were foreign nationals compared with 4.6% a year earlier and 3.4% in 2001. Only ten years ago the share of foreign citizens was below 2%.

In recent years men have been proportionally more numerous than women among foreign citizens. Thus, 7.4% of all men in Iceland were foreign nationals as compared with 4.7% of women. Prior to 2003 the trend was reverse. Thus in 2001, the proportion of men was 3.1% and of women 3.7%. The highest proportion of foreigners is currently found in the East (Austurland) where more than a fourth of the population is foreign nationals.