Iceland: Facts & Stats

Demographics

Population:

309,605 (October 2007 estimate), of whom 195,301 (60%) live in the Reykjavík metropolitan area.

Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from Ireland and Scotland, brought over as slaves during the age of settlement. Recent DNA analysis suggests that around 66 percent of the male settler-era population was of Norse ancestry, whereas the female population was 60 percent Celtic.

According to Icelandic government statistics, 99% of the nation's inhabitants live in urban areas (localities with populations greater than 200) and 60% live in the greater Reykjavík area.

The largest cities in Iceland are:

1. 119,110 Reykjavík
2. 30,401 Kópavogur
3. 26,031 Hafnarfjörður
4. 17,524 Akureyri
5. 14,099 Reykjanesbær

Welfare:

Iceland, has a high standard of public health and one of the highest life expectancies in the world, provided with compulsory health insurance that finances most medical services. Hospital inpatient services are provided entirely without charge, other medical services at low cost. Dental care is partially subsidized for children up to age 16 and for retirees with low incomes. Heart disease and cancer together account for about one-half of all deaths. Welfare services include unemployment insurance, old-age and disability pensions, family and childbearing allowances, and sickness benefits. The medical and welfare systems are financed through taxation by central and local government.

Education:

The system of education in Iceland is divided in four levels: playschool, compulsory, upper secondary and higher, and is similar to that of other Scandinavian countries. Education is mandatory for children aged 6–16. Most institutions are funded by the state; there are very few private schools in the country. Iceland is a country with gymnasia.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has the jurisdiction of educational responsibility. Traditionally, education in Iceland has been run in the public sector; there is a small, although growing, number of private education institutions in the country. Over the years, the educational system has been decentralised, and responsibility for primary and lower secondary schools lies with the local authorities. The state runs upper secondary schools and higher education institutions.

There are 192 institutions catering for compulsory education, 42 schools for upper secondary education and 9 higher education institutions.

Religion:

Icelanders enjoy freedom of religion under the constitution, though the National Church of Iceland, a Lutheran body, is the state church. The National Registry keeps account of the religious affiliation of every Icelandic citizen. In 2005, Icelanders were divided into religious groups as follows:

• 80.7% members of the National Church of Iceland.


• 6.2% members of unregistered religious organisations or with no specified religious affiliation.


• 4.9% members of the Free Lutheran Churches of Reykjavík and Hafnarfjörður.


• 2.8% not members of any religious group.


• 2.5% members of the Roman Catholic Church, which has a Diocese of Reykjavík (see also Bishop of Reykjavík (Catholic)).

The remaining 2.9% includes around 20–25 other Christian denominations while around 1% belong to non-Christian religious organisations. The largest non-Christian denomination is Ásatrúarfélagið, a neopagan group.

Religious attendance is relatively low, as in the other Nordic countries. The above statistics represent administrative membership of religious organisations which does not necessarily closely reflect the belief demographics of the population of Iceland. According to Froese (2001), 23% of those in Iceland are either atheist or agnostic.

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