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Fertility & birth rates in Iceland and Iran

Updated on by Georank team

Iceland has an annual birth rate of 11 births per 1,000 people, compared to 13 for Iran. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.59 in Iceland and 1.7 in Iran — 6.6% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -62.9% in Iceland and by -77.5% in Iran — in 1960, it was 4.29 and 7.52, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Iceland is ranked 132/196 by birth rate compared to 108/196 for Iran.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31 in Iceland — it's 28.8 in Iran.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.37 in Iceland vs 26.2 in Iran.
  • In Iceland, 23.7% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.8% in Iran.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.44% in Iceland and +0.83% in Iran.

Birth rate data compared

Iceland Iran
Fertility rate 1.59 1.7
Birth rate 11 13
Birth rate rank 132/196 108/196
Age at first childbirth 28.8 years n/a
Average age at childbearing 31 years 28.8 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 2.82 25.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 68.4 84.7
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 20.4 20.7
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 23.7% 26.8%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 n/a 57%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 97.4% 99%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.003% 0.02%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.13% 0.74%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.19% 1.07%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.26% 1.18%
Population change due to births and deaths +1,730 +750,150
Natural population change rank 138/196 25/196
Natural population change rate +0.44% +0.83%
Population growth +2.86% +1.06%
Population growth rank 21/197 100/197
Life expectancy 83.2 years 78.1 years

Fertility rate in Iceland vs Iran chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Iceland was 1.59 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.7 in Iran in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Iceland vs Iran population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Iran
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Iceland Iran
1960 4.29 7.52
1961 3.88 7.46
1962 3.98 7.4
1963 3.99 7.32
1964 3.88 7.24
1965 3.73 7.22
1966 3.59 7.21
1967 3.28 7.19
1968 3.06 7.12
1969 2.99 7.01
1970 2.81 6.8
1971 2.92 6.55
1972 3.09 6.26
1973 2.94 6.06
1974 2.66 5.97
1975 2.65 5.95
1976 2.52 6.07
1977 2.31 6.18
1978 2.35 6.34
1979 2.49 6.55
1980 2.48 6.63
1981 2.33 6.62
1982 2.27 6.59
1983 2.24 6.53
1984 2.08 6.43
1985 1.93 6.24
1986 1.92 6.01
1987 2.06 5.72
1988 2.26 5.43
1989 2.19 5.17
1990 2.3 4.93
1991 2.18 4.57
1992 2.21 4.1
1993 2.22 3.67
1994 2.14 3.24
1995 2.08 2.85
1996 2.12 2.54
1997 2.04 2.32
1998 2.05 2.19
1999 1.99 2.09
2000 2.08 2
2001 1.95 1.92
2002 1.93 1.84
2003 1.99 1.8
2004 2.04 1.78
2005 2.05 1.76
2006 2.08 1.76
2007 2.09 1.75
2008 2.15 1.74
2009 2.23 1.74
2010 2.2 1.75
2011 2.02 1.79
2012 2.04 1.85
2013 1.93 1.91
2014 1.93 1.98
2015 1.8 2.02
2016 1.74 2.05
2017 1.71 2.02
2018 1.71 1.92
2019 1.74 1.77
2020 1.72 1.7
2021 1.82 1.71
2022 1.59 1.7
2023 1.59 1.7
2024 1.57 1.68
2025 1.55 1.67
2026 1.54 1.66
2027 1.53 1.65
2028 1.53 1.64
2029 1.53 1.64
2030 1.52 1.63
2031 1.52 1.63
2032 1.52 1.63
2033 1.53 1.63
2034 1.53 1.63
2035 1.53 1.63
2036 1.53 1.63
2037 1.53 1.63
2038 1.53 1.63
2039 1.54 1.63
2040 1.54 1.63
2041 1.54 1.63
2042 1.54 1.63
2043 1.54 1.63
2044 1.54 1.63
2045 1.54 1.63
2046 1.55 1.63
2047 1.55 1.63
2048 1.55 1.63
2049 1.55 1.63
2050 1.56 1.63

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Iran
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Iceland Iran
1960 34.9% 43.5%
1961 35% 44.1%
1962 34.9% 44.6%
1963 34.9% 44.9%
1964 34.7% 45%
1965 34.5% 45%
1966 34.3% 44.9%
1967 34% 44.8%
1968 33.6% 44.8%
1969 33.2% 44.7%
1970 32.6% 44.6%
1971 32.1% 44.4%
1972 31.6% 44.2%
1973 31.2% 43.8%
1974 30.7% 43.5%
1975 30.1% 43.2%
1976 29.5% 43%
1977 29% 42.9%
1978 28.4% 43%
1979 27.9% 43.1%
1980 27.5% 43.3%
1981 27.2% 42.9%
1982 26.9% 42.7%
1983 26.7% 43%
1984 26.5% 43.3%
1985 26.2% 43.5%
1986 25.9% 43.7%
1987 25.6% 43.9%
1988 25.2% 44%
1989 25% 44.2%
1990 25% 44.1%
1991 24.8% 43.9%
1992 24.8% 43.6%
1993 24.8% 43.6%
1994 24.7% 43.2%
1995 24.4% 42.1%
1996 24.1% 40.7%
1997 23.9% 39.1%
1998 23.6% 37.3%
1999 23.4% 35.4%
2000 23.3% 33.6%
2001 23.2% 31.7%
2002 23% 30.1%
2003 22.8% 28.7%
2004 22.5% 27.4%
2005 22.1% 26.2%
2006 21.5% 25.3%
2007 21.1% 24.6%
2008 20.9% 24%
2009 20.9% 23.7%
2010 20.9% 23.4%
2011 20.8% 23.3%
2012 20.7% 23.3%
2013 20.6% 23.3%
2014 20.4% 23.4%
2015 20.2% 23.6%
2016 19.9% 23.8%
2017 19.6% 23.9%
2018 19.2% 24%
2019 18.9% 23.9%
2020 18.7% 23.8%
2021 18.6% 23.6%
2022 18.4% 23.2%
2023 18.1% 22.8%
2024 17.8% 22.4%
2025 17.5% 22%
2026 17.3% 21.6%
2027 17.1% 21.1%
2028 17% 20.5%
2029 16.8% 19.9%
2030 16.7% 19.3%
2031 16.6% 18.6%
2032 16.5% 18%
2033 16.3% 17.4%
2034 16.1% 17%
2035 15.9% 16.7%
2036 15.6% 16.4%
2037 15.4% 16.2%
2038 15.2% 15.9%
2039 15% 15.8%
2040 14.8% 15.6%
2041 14.7% 15.5%
2042 14.5% 15.4%
2043 14.4% 15.3%
2044 14.2% 15.3%
2045 14.1% 15.2%
2046 14% 15.2%
2047 13.9% 15.2%
2048 13.8% 15.2%
2049 13.7% 15.1%
2050 13.6% 15.1%

Children aged 0-14 make up 17.8% of the population in Iceland and 22.4% in Iran in 2024, compared to 25% and 44.1% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Iceland and Iran compared.

Natural population change in Iceland vs Iran by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.57% in Iceland and +1.1% in Iran. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Iceland
Iran

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Iceland Iran
1960 3,758 584,060
1961 3,312 594,674
1962 3,465 595,538
1963 3,490 620,126
1964 3,459 635,589
1965 3,442 663,029
1966 3,305 695,040
1967 3,021 727,276
1968 2,841 743,992
1969 2,766 780,660
1970 2,576 794,612
1971 2,782 805,830
1972 3,241 804,043
1973 3,121 831,880
1974 2,776 873,369
1975 2,965 929,481
1976 2,951 1,013,347
1977 2,551 1,091,542
1978 2,727 1,156,974
1979 2,980 1,294,306
1980 2,966 1,361,293
1981 2,677 1,376,830
1982 2,736 1,514,240
1983 2,702 1,573,612
1984 2,539 1,653,051
1985 2,221 1,661,750
1986 2,384 1,659,289
1987 2,360 1,639,644
1988 2,847 1,614,512
1989 2,832 1,609,739
1990 3,058 1,530,434
1991 2,733 1,495,594
1992 2,898 1,365,466
1993 2,875 1,219,658
1994 2,713 1,008,076
1995 2,354 879,648
1996 2,447 784,508
1997 2,305 726,574
1998 2,357 717,655
1999 2,192 723,237
2000 2,475 731,203
2001 2,365 743,658
2002 2,243 752,205
2003 2,317 732,600
2004 2,425 801,203
2005 2,433 837,305
2006 2,491 884,529
2007 2,617 919,254
2008 2,825 940,983
2009 3,026 958,322
2010 2,862 980,380
2011 2,521 1,023,925
2012 2,566 1,073,804
2013 2,169 1,119,533
2014 2,324 1,158,552
2015 1,952 1,178,317
2016 1,711 1,186,949
2017 1,854 1,140,549
2018 1,975 1,035,052
2019 2,163 893,063
2020 2,199 663,978
2021 2,534 645,725
2022 1,719 753,525
2023 1,730 750,150

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Iceland vs Iran

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 3 deaths per 100,000 live births in Iceland, compared to 16 deaths in Iran.

Iceland
Iran
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Iceland Iran
1985 11 160
1986 15 148
1987 13 136
1988 11 126
1989 14 113
1990 13 107
1991 11 94
1992 12 86
1993 10 80
1994 9 71
1995 13 65
1996 7 59
1997 8 55
1998 8 50
1999 7 46
2000 7 43
2001 6 40
2002 7 38
2003 6 37
2004 6 34
2005 5 33
2006 5 32
2007 5 31
2008 4 30
2009 5 28
2010 5 27
2011 4 26
2012 4 25
2013 4 24
2014 4 23
2015 4 22
2016 3 21
2017 3 20
2018 4 19
2019 4 18
2020 12 34
2021 5 51
2022 5 21
2023 3 16

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.26% in Iceland and 1.18% in Iran. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Iceland
Iran

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Iceland Iran
1960 2.14% -
1961 2.11% -
1962 2.07% -
1963 2.02% -
1964 1.97% -
1965 1.92% -
1966 1.85% -
1967 1.79% -
1968 1.72% -
1969 1.66% -
1970 1.6% -
1971 1.54% 18.9%
1972 1.48% 18%
1973 1.41% 17.1%
1974 1.35% 16.2%
1975 1.29% 15.3%
1976 1.22% 14.4%
1977 1.15% 13.5%
1978 1.09% 12.6%
1979 1.03% 11.7%
1980 0.97% 10.8%
1981 0.92% 10%
1982 0.87% 9.3%
1983 0.83% 8.67%
1984 0.79% 8.13%
1985 0.75% 7.64%
1986 0.73% 7.2%
1987 0.7% 6.8%
1988 0.67% 6.42%
1989 0.65% 6.07%
1990 0.63% 5.76%
1991 0.61% 5.48%
1992 0.58% 5.22%
1993 0.56% 5%
1994 0.54% 4.79%
1995 0.52% 4.59%
1996 0.49% 4.4%
1997 0.47% 4.21%
1998 0.45% 4.02%
1999 0.42% 3.83%
2000 0.4% 3.63%
2001 0.38% 3.42%
2002 0.36% 3.22%
2003 0.34% 3.02%
2004 0.33% 2.83%
2005 0.31% 2.65%
2006 0.3% 2.48%
2007 0.29% 2.32%
2008 0.28% 2.17%
2009 0.27% 2.04%
2010 0.27% 1.93%
2011 0.27% 1.84%
2012 0.26% 1.75%
2013 0.26% 1.68%
2014 0.26% 1.61%
2015 0.26% 1.55%
2016 0.26% 1.5%
2017 0.26% 1.45%
2018 0.27% 1.39%
2019 0.27% 1.35%
2020 0.27% 1.3%
2021 0.27% 1.26%
2022 0.26% 1.22%
2023 0.26% 1.18%

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Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Iceland vs Iran
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