The population of Iceland grew by 5,820 individuals in 2016, a 1.8% rise. On 1 January 2017 the total population was 338,349 according to newly released population statistics from Statistics Iceland.
93.7% of population lives in 96 towns and villages
Proportionally the population growth was highest in the Reykjanes peninsula (6.6%), 1,484 persons. The Reykjavík metropolitan area saw a 1.5% increase.
All regions registered a population growth in 2016, with the exception of the Westfjords. The population of the Westfjords shrunk by 0.2% in 2016. The population of the Westfjords has been declining since the early 1980s. At the end of 2016 the population of the region was only 6,857, down from 10,452 in 1982.
Read more: The population of the Westfjords continues to shrink, down by 34% in the past 34 years
The population statistics show that Iceland had 60 towns and villages with more than 200 inhabitants. An additional 36 villages have 50-199 inhabitants. The vast majority of the population lived in urban areas. Only 21,455 people lived in rural communities in 2016.
The population of Iceland grew by 5,820 individuals in 2016, a 1.8% rise. On 1 January 2017 the total population was 338,349 according to newly released population statistics from Statistics Iceland.
93.7% of population lives in 96 towns and villages
Proportionally the population growth was highest in the Reykjanes peninsula (6.6%), 1,484 persons. The Reykjavík metropolitan area saw a 1.5% increase.
All regions registered a population growth in 2016, with the exception of the Westfjords. The population of the Westfjords shrunk by 0.2% in 2016. The population of the Westfjords has been declining since the early 1980s. At the end of 2016 the population of the region was only 6,857, down from 10,452 in 1982.
Read more: The population of the Westfjords continues to shrink, down by 34% in the past 34 years
The population statistics show that Iceland had 60 towns and villages with more than 200 inhabitants. An additional 36 villages have 50-199 inhabitants. The vast majority of the population lived in urban areas. Only 21,455 people lived in rural communities in 2016.
