Iceland Population: Dated Figures and Definitions
Statistics Iceland reported 396,500 residents at the end of June 2026. That is a dated quarterly estimate, not a live count. Keep the observation date and geographic boundary with the number when comparing sources.
Start with the dated observations
The July 31 release gives the June-end population. The annual release gives 394,324 residents on January 1. Both were checked again on September 10, 2026; the source dates and definitions are preserved in the downloadable extract below.
Population: keep the date and boundary with the number
Source checks: September 9, 2026. These observations come from named Statistics Iceland releases, not a live counter. Annual and quarterly estimates can be revised.
| Measure | People | Reference date | Area | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population estimate | 394,324 | 2026-01-01 | Iceland | 2026-03-12 |
| Reykjavík municipality | 139,804 | 2026-01-01 | Reykjavík municipality | 2026-03-12 |
| Quarterly population | 396,500 | 2026-06-30 | Iceland | 2026-07-31 |
| Capital region population | 253,230 | 2026-06-30 | Capital region | 2026-07-31 |
| Foreign citizens | 71,130 | 2026-06-30 | Iceland | 2026-07-31 |
| Immigrants | 77,226 | 2026-01-01 | Iceland | 2026-06-10 |
| Second-generation immigrants | 8,351 | 2026-01-01 | Iceland | 2026-06-10 |
The capital region’s share on June 30 is 253,230 ÷ 396,500 × 100 = 63.9%, rounded to one decimal. This is a regional share; it does not give Reykjavík municipality’s population.
Statistics Iceland’s immigrant category requires a person born abroad with both parents and all grandparents foreign born. Second generation means born in Iceland to immigrant parents. Citizenship is a separate measure: do not substitute “foreign citizens” or “all foreign-born residents” for those categories.
Download seven observations with definitions and source dates (CSV). This is a small transcribed release extract, not the full statistical database. No growth rate is calculated across mismatched annual and quarterly series.
Reykjavík municipality is not the capital region
Reykjavík municipality had 139,804 residents on January 1, according to the annual release. The capital-region figure in the June observation covers a larger geographic area. Do not label that regional total as Reykjavík city or divide a January municipal count by a June national count to produce a supposedly current share.
For a town-level comparison, use the same table, year and boundary throughout. A municipality can contain several settlements and surrounding countryside. Our town and city guides help with travel geography; they do not replace the statistical boundary definition.
Population growth and dependency ratios measure different things
The January release reports annual population growth of 1.3% from January 1, 2025. It also describes an older age structure: its 27.0% old-age dependency ratio compares people aged sixty-five and over with people aged twenty to sixty-four. That is not a claim that 27.0% of all residents are over sixty-five.
For a growth calculation, select the same series at both endpoints and retain its revision status. For an age share, identify the denominator. A ratio can be accurately copied and still be misleading if its definition disappears.
Citizenship and immigrant background cannot be substituted
The June 10 population-by-origin release uses a family-background definition for immigrants. Its January observations differ in both definition and date from the quarterly count of foreign citizens. A person can acquire Icelandic citizenship without changing where they or their parents were born.
When citing an immigrant percentage, specify whether it includes the second generation. When citing a foreign-citizen figure, label citizenship explicitly. Neither category is a shorthand for language, ethnicity, religion or an individual’s identity.
How to reuse these numbers
- Choose the measure and geographic boundary.
- Keep its observation date separate from the publication date.
- Use comparable endpoints for a trend or percentage.
- Link to the original release and retain any revision or rounding note.
For a longer annual trend and other national measures, use the statistics explorer. Its charts and downloads keep observation periods with the values. For cultural background, use the culture guide rather than interpreting a demographic category as a description of every resident.
Planning help
Questions about Iceland Population: Dated Figures and Definitions
Quick answers with safety notes where it matters.
What is Iceland’s population?
Statistics Iceland reported 396,500 residents at the end of June 2026. This is a dated quarterly estimate, not a live counter.
Why does another source show 394,324?
That is the annual estimate for January 1, 2026. It describes a different reference date from the June-end quarterly observation.
How many people live in Reykjavík?
The annual release gives 139,804 residents for Reykjavík municipality on January 1, 2026. The wider capital region is a different geographic area.
Are foreign citizens the same as immigrants in these statistics?
No. Citizenship and Statistics Iceland’s immigrant-background definition are different measures. Keep the definition and reference date attached to each figure.
Does the 27.0% old-age dependency ratio mean 27.0% of residents are elderly?
No. In the cited January release, that ratio compares people aged sixty-five and over with people aged twenty to sixty-four, not with the whole population.
For national population totals and trends to put local figures in context, see our Iceland statistics.