Iceland: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 7, 2026

News •

Iceland Runs Crisis Exercise for AMOC Ocean Current Collapse • Nov. 2, 2026, 10:30 AM ET (Gizmodo)

EU unveils a new Arctic push as global warming and security threats reshape the region • Oct. 20, 2026, 9:29 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Iceland • Ísland • Lýdhveldidh Ísland
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Kristrún Frostadóttir
Capital	Reykjavík
Population	(2025 est.) 399,600
Head Of State	President: Halla Tómasdóttir
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Althingi, or Parliament [63])
Official Language	Icelandic
Official Religion	Evangelical Lutheran
Official Name	Lýdhveldidh Ísland (Republic of Iceland)
Total Area (Sq Km)	103,000
Total Area (Sq Mi)	39,769
Monetary Unit	króna (ISK)
Population Rank	(2026) 180
Population Projection 2030	408,900
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 10
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 3.9
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 94.1% • Rural: (2024) 5.9%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2026) 80.4 years • Female: (2026) 84.6 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 31,771
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 82,200

Photos and Videos

Political map of Iceland showing national boundaries, major cities and towns including Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Egilsstadir, as well as surrounding bodies of water such as the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean. An inset locator map in the lower right highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

Map highlighting Iceland in orange in the North Atlantic Ocean, showing its location between Greenland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The capital city, Reykjavik, is marked with a star. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean, are labeled.

View of Reykjavik, Iceland with colorful rooftops and church spires in the foreground, water in the midground, and snow-covered mountains in the background.

Physical map of Iceland showing major geographic features such as mountains, glaciers, national parks, lakes, rivers, and coastal landmarks. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean, are labeled. An inset locator map in the bottom right corner highlights Iceland's position in the North Atlantic relative to Europe.

Map of Iceland highlighting the locations of major glaciers, shown in light blue, and major volcanoes, marked with names and eruption years. The map also indicates areas of lava fields and labels surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Iceland: aurora borealis

Crater Viti with its milky blue geothermal lake is set in a barren volcanic landscape, with the larger Lake Oskjuvatn and snow-dusted mountains in the background, Iceland.

Steaming geothermal hot spring with milky blue water surrounded by mossy hills and rugged terrain in Landmannalaugar, Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland.

What new opportunities and risks come with harnessing geothermal energy?

How the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stopped air travel in Europe

How and where does magma form on Earth?

National anthem of Iceland

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Topics

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Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Europe: Iceland

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Eggert Ólafsson

Icelandic poet

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

prime minister of Iceland

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson receiving the Louise Blouin Foundation Award, New York City, 2007.

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson

president of Iceland

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Thorfinn Karlsefni

Scandinavian explorer

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

president of Iceland

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Gudbrandur Thorláksson

Icelandic bishop and scholar

Sigurdsson, Jón

Jón Sigurdsson

Icelandic statesman

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Sveinn Björnsson

president of Iceland

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Ólafur Thors

prime minister of Iceland

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Ari Thorgilsson the Learned

Icelandic historian

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Europe

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Vestmannaeyjar

Iceland

Atlantic Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Atlantic Ocean

View of Reykjavik, Iceland with colorful rooftops and church spires in the foreground, water in the midground, and snow-covered mountains in the background.

Reykjavík

national capital, Iceland

Akureyri, Iceland

Akureyri

Iceland

Reykjanesbaer: Njardvík

Reykjanesbaer

Iceland

Cleaning and salting a herring catch at Húsavík, Ice.

Húsavík

Iceland

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Hafnarfjördhur

Iceland

Hveragerdi: hothouses

Hveragerdi

Iceland

Kópavogur

Kópavogur

Iceland

Map highlighting the Nordic countries and their territories in northern Europe and the North Atlantic. Denmark, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is marked in green and light blue; Iceland in dark blue; Norway in orange, including Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden in yellow; and Finland in purple, including the Aland Islands. Country and territory names are labeled clearly.

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group of countries, Europe

Map of Iceland highlighting the locations of major glaciers, shown in light blue, and major volcanoes, marked with names and eruption years. The map also indicates areas of lava fields and labels surrounding bodies of water, including the Greenland Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Eyjafjallajökull volcano

volcano, Iceland

Lakagígar, Iceland

Laki

volcano, Iceland

Lava flows down the slope of a volcano with a pronounced flat-top caldera. Crowds of people stand at the base, just beyond the edge of the lava.

Fagradalsfjall volcano

shield volcano, Iceland

Volcanoes and glaciers of Iceland

Katla

volcano, Iceland

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