01
Physical geography
Mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords.
Local timeReykjavik ·
Europe / Northern Europe · Card 022
Iceland
Iceland is a country in Northern Europe. Its capital is Reykjavik.
Find Iceland
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Reykjavik
- Languages
- Icelandic
- Currency
- Icelandic króna (ISK)
- Population
- 392,4042025 · World Bank
- Area
- 103,000 km²39,768.51 square miles
- Republic
- 1944Sovereignty in union with Denmark began in 1918.
Iceland in context
Europe and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Reykjavik; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Icelandic.
03
Location
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom.
Flag
Blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
History & status
Iceland was settled in the medieval period and later came under Norwegian and Danish rule. It became a sovereign kingdom in union with Denmark in 1918. A referendum led to the establishment of a republic in 1944.
-
The Althing parliament is traditionally dated to this year
-
Iceland becomes sovereign in union with Denmark
-
The republic is established
Economy
Main activities
Fishing, tourism and aluminum production are major activities. Hydropower and geothermal energy provide electricity and heat. Tourism and seafood exports connect the economy closely to international demand.
Industry and production
tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people392.42025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 204,438 | 204.438 |
| 1980 | 228,138 | 228.138 |
| 1990 | 254,826 | 254.826 |
| 2000 | 281,205 | 281.205 |
| 2010 | 318,041 | 318.041 |
| 2020 | 366,463 | 366.463 |
| 2025 | 392,404 | 392.404 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars23.12025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9,505,724,857 | 9.506 |
| 1991 | 9,484,477,138 | 9.484 |
| 1992 | 9,164,480,917 | 9.164 |
| 1993 | 9,284,851,746 | 9.285 |
| 1994 | 9,619,928,854 | 9.620 |
| 1995 | 9,631,144,119 | 9.631 |
| 1996 | 10,064,319,597 | 10.064 |
| 1997 | 10,481,070,033 | 10.481 |
| 1998 | 11,215,843,690 | 11.216 |
| 1999 | 11,653,035,890 | 11.653 |
| 2000 | 12,224,638,525 | 12.225 |
| 2001 | 12,694,179,477 | 12.694 |
| 2002 | 12,763,018,327 | 12.763 |
| 2003 | 13,054,189,962 | 13.054 |
| 2004 | 14,049,259,326 | 14.049 |
| 2005 | 15,036,829,617 | 15.037 |
| 2006 | 15,889,660,324 | 15.890 |
| 2007 | 17,278,627,876 | 17.279 |
| 2008 | 17,572,297,288 | 17.572 |
| 2009 | 16,110,024,869 | 16.110 |
| 2010 | 15,752,089,366 | 15.752 |
| 2011 | 15,969,467,679 | 15.969 |
| 2012 | 16,156,200,541 | 16.156 |
| 2013 | 16,737,332,122 | 16.737 |
| 2014 | 17,057,653,884 | 17.058 |
| 2015 | 17,700,486,957 | 17.700 |
| 2016 | 18,801,118,750 | 18.801 |
| 2017 | 19,456,350,343 | 19.456 |
| 2018 | 20,363,166,153 | 20.363 |
| 2019 | 20,594,942,210 | 20.595 |
| 2020 | 19,226,227,455 | 19.226 |
| 2021 | 20,222,255,993 | 20.222 |
| 2022 | 22,013,401,667 | 22.013 |
| 2023 | 23,121,173,216 | 23.121 |
| 2024 | 22,824,557,131 | 22.825 |
| 2025 | 23,116,588,684 | 23.117 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.972Very High human developmentRank 1 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.841
20000.902
20100.935
20200.965
20230.972
82.7 yearsLife expectancy at birth
13.9 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Unitary parliamentary republic. Parliament (Althingi) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).
Knowledge check
Three questions about Iceland.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which currency is listed for Iceland?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.