Iceland has a population density of 9.93 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. Iceland has 2,868,586 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Iceland and the United Kingdom are ranked 194th and 35th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iceland has 0.005% of the world's population and 0.07% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in Iceland is 98.7% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
Iceland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 9.93 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 194/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
395314
|
70024311
|
| Land area | 38,931 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,808,042 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 5.82% | 16.8% |
| Urban population | 94.2% | 83.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.4% |
Iceland vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Iceland increased by 31.6%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, Iceland ranked 188th for population density and is in 194th place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iceland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 9.93 | 741 |
| 2023 | 9.91 | 733 |
| 2022 | 9.81 | 724 |
| 2021 | 9.57 | 717 |
| 2020 | 9.41 | 715 |
| 2019 | 9.26 | 713 |
| 2018 | 9.06 | 710 |
| 2017 | 8.87 | 706 |
| 2016 | 8.67 | 702 |
| 2015 | 8.55 | 697 |
| 2014 | 8.46 | 692 |
| 2013 | 8.36 | 687 |
| 2012 | 8.29 | 682 |
| 2011 | 8.24 | 677 |
| 2010 | 8.22 | 672 |
| 2009 | 8.23 | 667 |
| 2008 | 8.2 | 662 |
| 2007 | 8.05 | 656 |
| 2006 | 7.85 | 651 |
| 2005 | 7.67 | 647 |
| 2004 | 7.55 | 642 |
| 2003 | 7.48 | 639 |
| 2002 | 7.43 | 636 |
| 2001 | 7.36 | 633 |
| 2000 | 7.27 | 630 |
| 1999 | 7.17 | 628 |
| 1998 | 7.08 | 626 |
| 1997 | 7 | 624 |
| 1996 | 6.95 | 623 |
| 1995 | 6.91 | 621 |
| 1994 | 6.87 | 619 |
| 1993 | 6.81 | 618 |
| 1992 | 6.74 | 616 |
| 1991 | 6.66 | 615 |
| 1990 | 6.58 | 613 |
| 1989 | 6.53 | 611 |
| 1988 | 6.45 | 609 |
| 1987 | 6.35 | 608 |
| 1986 | 6.28 | 607 |
| 1985 | 6.24 | 605 |
| 1984 | 6.19 | 604 |
| 1983 | 6.12 | 603 |
| 1982 | 6.04 | 603 |
| 1981 | 5.96 | 603 |
| 1980 | 5.89 | 603 |
| 1979 | 5.83 | 602 |
| 1978 | 5.78 | 602 |
| 1977 | 5.73 | 602 |
| 1976 | 5.69 | 602 |
| 1975 | 5.63 | 602 |
| 1974 | 5.56 | 602 |
| 1973 | 5.49 | 602 |
| 1972 | 5.4 | 600 |
| 1971 | 5.32 | 598 |
| 1970 | 5.28 | 596 |
| 1969 | 5.25 | 594 |
| 1968 | 5.21 | 591 |
| 1967 | 5.13 | 588 |
| 1966 | 5.05 | 585 |
| 1965 | 4.97 | 582 |
| 1964 | 4.88 | 578 |
| 1963 | 4.8 | 574 |
| 1962 | 4.71 | 570 |
| 1961 | 4.63 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iceland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 94.2% | 83.2% |
| 2023 | 94.2% | 83.2% |
| 2022 | 94.2% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 94.2% | 83% |
| 2020 | 94.1% | 82.9% |
| 2019 | 94% | 82.7% |
| 2018 | 93.9% | 82.4% |
| 2017 | 93.8% | 82.2% |
| 2016 | 93.8% | 82% |
| 2015 | 93.7% | 81.8% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | 81.6% |
| 2013 | 93.6% | 81.5% |
| 2012 | 93.5% | 81.3% |
| 2011 | 93.4% | 81.1% |
| 2010 | 93.5% | 81% |
| 2009 | 93.4% | 80.9% |
| 2008 | 93.1% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 92.4% | 80.6% |
| 2006 | 92.2% | 80.5% |
| 2005 | 92.4% | 80.4% |
| 2004 | 92.4% | 80.3% |
| 2003 | 92.3% | 80.2% |
| 2002 | 92.2% | 80.1% |
| 2001 | 92% | 80% |
| 2000 | 92% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 91.8% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 91.7% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 92% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 91.8% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 91.6% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 91.4% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 91.3% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 91.1% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 90.9% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 90.6% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 90.4% | 78.1% |
| 1988 | 90.1% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 89.8% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 89.6% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 89.3% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 89.1% | 78.5% |
| 1983 | 88.9% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 88.6% | 78.6% |
| 1981 | 88.3% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 88.1% | 78.6% |
| 1979 | 87.9% | 78.5% |
| 1978 | 87.7% | 78.3% |
| 1977 | 87.4% | 78.1% |
| 1976 | 87.2% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 86.9% | 77.5% |
| 1974 | 86.5% | 77.3% |
| 1973 | 86.2% | 77.1% |
| 1972 | 85.7% | 77% |
| 1971 | 85.3% | 76.9% |
| 1970 | 85% | 76.9% |
| 1969 | 84.8% | 77% |
| 1968 | 84.4% | 77.1% |
| 1967 | 83.9% | 77.2% |
| 1966 | 83.5% | 77.4% |
| 1965 | 83.2% | 77.6% |
| 1964 | 82.7% | 77.8% |
| 1963 | 82% | 78% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 81% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 80.4% | 78.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 92.4% to 94.2% in Iceland and from 80.3% to 83.2% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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