What Is Iceland's Population and Ethnic Makeup?
Iceland has a population of approximately 380,000 people, making it one of the least populated countries in Europe. The population is remarkably homogeneous, with most residents descended from Norse and Celtic settlers who arrived over a thousand years ago.
About two-thirds of the population lives in the greater Reykjavik area. The rest are distributed among small towns, fishing villages, and scattered farms throughout the country. Large stretches of the interior remain completely uninhabited.
In recent decades, immigration has increased modestly, bringing workers from Poland, the Philippines, and other countries to support the growing tourism industry. Reykjavik has become somewhat more diverse, though Iceland remains one of the most ethnically homogeneous nations in the world.
Icelanders maintain strong family connections and can often trace their ancestry back centuries using the national genealogy database. The small population means many people know each other, lending the country a close-knit feeling that visitors often notice.
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