Iceland Demographics

What is the population of Iceland?

Population 350,734
Population Growth Rate 0.66%
Urban Population 93.7%
Population in Major Urban Areas REYKJAVIK (capital) 206,000
Nationality Noun Icelander(s)
Nationality Adjective Icelandic
Ethnic Groups homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Languages Spoken Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Language Note Icelandic is part of the North Germanic branches of languages, and so is most closely related to Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Faroese

Icelandic is based on the Latin alphabet, with the addition of Þ, ð, æ, and the diacritics á, é, í, ó, ú and ö Icelandic developed into a distinct Scandinavian language around the 12th century.

Iceland Learning

What is school like in Iceland?

Learning

Education is Compulsory from the age of 7 to 16 Grades 1-9,  preschool  is available for children ages 5 or 6.  Schooling is free and textbooks are provided by the local authority.  The standardized curriculum provides a grounding in the principal subjects.  Danish is taught from the fourth grade and English from the sixth grade.  Swimming is an obligatory part of the curriculum.  At the end of ninth grade, a standardized test along with the school's record of assessment is used to select what institution a young Iceland should go to next.  Students may go on to grammar or comprehensive school for four years.  Ages 17 to 20 or to vocational school.  Iceland has two universities. Both are state funded and the tuition is free.

Iceland Health Information

What are the health conditions in Iceland?

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 7.07
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved 100%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved 100%
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP 9.1%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 0.3%
HIV/Aids Deaths 90
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population 5.8
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births 3.02
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births 3.31
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births 3.17
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births 5
Mean Age for Mother's First Birth 27
People Living with HIV/AIDS 750
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population 3.46
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved 100%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved 100%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman 1.88

Iceland Life Expectancy

How long do people live in Iceland?

Life Expectancy at Birth 81 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female 83 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male 78 Years
Median Age 36 Years
Median Age - female 36 Years
Median Age - male 35 Years

Iceland Infant Mortality - per 1,000 live births

Iceland median age, birth rate and death rates

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population 13
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 7.07
Median Age 36 Years
Median Age - female 36 Years
Median Age - male 35 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population .53
Population Growth Rate 0.66%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female 1.03
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female 1.02
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female 1.02
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female 1
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female 1
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female .85

Iceland Medical Information

What are the health conditions in Iceland?

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical care in Iceland is of high quality, but limited services are available outside of large urban areas. For emergency medical assistance anywhere in the country, dial 112. For non-emergency medical assistance in the Reykjavik metropolitan area dial 544-4114 during business hours. Outside of normal business hours, dial 1770. The nurse who answers will do one of three things: offer advice on how to handle the problem on your own, suggest that you come to an after-hours clinic, or send a physician to you for a house call. The Icelandic medical system does not offer coverage to people who do not live in Iceland. Nonresidents are expected to pay their own medical costs and you should be prepared to pay your bill in full before leaving the hospital or clinic.

Iceland Education

What is school like in Iceland?

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP 7.6%
Literacy - female 99%
Literacy - male 99%
Literacy - total population 99%
Literacy Definition age 15 and over can read and write
School Life Expectancy - female 20 Years
School Life Expectancy - male 18 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary) 19 Years

Iceland Literacy

Can people in Iceland read?

Literacy - female 99%
Literacy - male 99%
Literacy - total population 99%
Literacy Definition age 15 and over can read and write
Predominant Language Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Iceland Crime

Is Iceland a safe place to visit?

Crime Information

Iceland has a low crime rate with rare instances of violent crime; however, common sense does apply. Do not put any bags containing valuables, such as your passport, down on the floor in bars or nightclubs. Do not leave your valuables in parked vehicles, even if the vehicle is locked. In addition, be aware that downtown Reykjavik can become disorderly in the late night to early morning hours on weekends as people are leaving bars and clubs.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Iceland Penalties for Crime

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Iceland you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. Iceland’s drunk-driving laws are very strict. Penalties for possessing, using or trafficking in illegal drugs in Iceland are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Iceland, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not at your destination. Some activities that might be legal in the country you visit are still illegal in the United States.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

IMPORTATION OF WHALE MEAT TO THE United States: All persons are barred from importing whale meat to the United States. Even though whale meat is sold throughout Iceland, the Marine Mammal Protection Act makes it illegal to bring back whale meat into the U.S. Any importation of whale meat to the U.S. will result in the seizure of the goods and possible criminal prosecution. Penalties include jail time and fines of up to $10,000.

Iceland Population Comparison

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