Name
In the 10th century, early Norse explorer Floki Vilgerdarson applied the name "Land of Ice," from the local words "ís" for ice and "land" for land.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Iceland
64.78° N, 18.67° W
No land border at all — every neighbor is across water, along 4,970 km of coast, the 27th longest on Earth.
land borders 0 km · 164th/230 · coastline 4,970 km · 27th/229
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 361,313
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 103,000 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 101,819 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 3.5 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- IS · ISL
- GDP (nominal)
- $33.46 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $65,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Iceland 103,000 km²United Arab Emirates 83,600 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Iceland sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age38.2 years78th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy84 years7th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate1.93 children per woman111th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population361,313179th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area103,000 km²108th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline4,970 km27th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
The Althingi, Iceland's legislative assembly, was established in 930 and is the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly. Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants settled Iceland during the late 9th and 10th centuries CE. After being independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano in 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter-century, some of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US.
Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. During the second half of the 20th century, economic growth was driven primarily by the fishing industry. After Iceland joined the European Economic Area in 1994, its economy diversified greatly. The global financial crisis hit Iceland especially hard in the years after 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, primarily thanks to a tourism and construction boom.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
Moderated by the North Atlantic Current, Iceland has a temperate climate with mild, windy winters and damp, cool summers.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Iceland's people include Icelandic, Polish, Danish, Ukrainian, and other ethnic groups. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland is official, alongside Roman Catholic, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik, and Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur affiliations. Pagan worship and the Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association are also present, along with other or unspecified affiliations and people identifying with none.
Iceland is almost entirely urban, with the population concentrated in and around the capital of Reykjavik. Smaller clusters are found primarily along the coast in the north and west.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $33.46 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $26.56 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $65,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +0.5%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 5.9%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 3.2%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $13.92 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $14.3 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 84 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 38.2 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 12.47 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 6.62 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 1.93 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +0.82% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 94%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Icelandic
- English
- Polish
- Nordic languages
- German
- Field “People and Society → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 103,000 km²Land 100,250 km² · Water 2,750 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 4,970 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 557 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 2,110 m Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier)
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Within
Contains
Natural geography 6
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Oceans 1
Straits 1
Islands 1
Mountain ranges 1
Largest cities 1
Population · Natural Earth
- Reykjavíkcapital166.2K