Canonical URL: https://www.iceland.org/population Content updated: 2026-09-10 This is the Markdown representation of the page. Interactive tools and forms are available on the [HTML page](). Source-check and review dates retain the meanings stated in the article. --- # 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. Updated September 10, 2026 · [Published by Iceland.org]() · [Writing & review]() ## 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. Figures from published releases; full definitions in the download | 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 1. Choose the measure and geographic boundary. 2. Keep its observation date separate from the publication date. 3. Use comparable endpoints for a trend or percentage. 4. 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]().