Land use over the long-term in Iceland
Iceland: Land use over the long-term was 1.75 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.75 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
90th
of 202 countries
All-time high
2.00 million hectares
in 1960
All-time low
562,915 hectares
in 1700
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Land use over the long-term in Iceland, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use over the long-term in Iceland is 1.75 million hectares, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use over the long-term in Iceland peaked at 2.00 million hectares in 1960 and was at its lowest, 562,915 hectares, in 1700.
Iceland ranks 90th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Land use over the long-term in Iceland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 564,533 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 791,077 hectares | +40.1% |
| 1200 | 791,806 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1300 | 792,533 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1400 | 679,937 hectares | -14.2% |
| 1500 | 680,558 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1600 | 567,649 hectares | -16.6% |
| 1700 | 562,915 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1710 | 574,455 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1720 | 586,232 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1730 | 598,250 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1740 | 610,515 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1750 | 623,031 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1760 | 635,803 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1770 | 648,837 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1780 | 662,139 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1790 | 675,713 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1800 | 689,566 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1810 | 703,702 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1820 | 733,089 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1830 | 763,704 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1840 | 795,597 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1850 | 828,821 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1860 | 863,434 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1870 | 872,234 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1880 | 881,124 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1890 | 890,104 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 899,177 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1910 | 908,341 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 1.14 million hectares | +25.0% |
| 1930 | 1.31 million hectares | +15.1% |
| 1940 | 1.48 million hectares | +13.7% |
| 1950 | 1.62 million hectares | +9.4% |
| 1951 | 1.65 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1952 | 1.68 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 1.72 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 1.76 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.80 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 1.84 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1957 | 1.88 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 1.92 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 1.96 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 2.00 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.88 million hectares | -6.0% |
| 1971 | 1.87 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 1.86 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 1.85 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 1.83 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 1.82 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 1.81 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 1.80 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 1.79 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 1.78 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 1.77 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 1.77 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.77 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 1.77 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.77 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.77 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 1.76 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.75 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.75 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 1.75 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.75 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 1.75 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 395,224 hectares, 4.4× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 1.75 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.16 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use over the long-term in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +40.1% | 564,533 hectares | 791,077 hectares |
| 1920 | +25.0% | 908,341 hectares | 1.14 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 564,533 hectares | 564,533 hectares | 564,533 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 791,077 hectares | 791,077 hectares | 791,077 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 791,806 hectares | 791,806 hectares | 791,806 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 792,533 hectares | 792,533 hectares | 792,533 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 679,937 hectares | 679,937 hectares | 679,937 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 680,558 hectares | 680,558 hectares | 680,558 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 567,649 hectares | 567,649 hectares | 567,649 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 562,915 hectares | 562,915 hectares | 562,915 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 574,455 hectares | 574,455 hectares | 574,455 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 586,232 hectares | 586,232 hectares | 586,232 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 598,250 hectares | 598,250 hectares | 598,250 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 610,515 hectares | 610,515 hectares | 610,515 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 623,031 hectares | 623,031 hectares | 623,031 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 635,803 hectares | 635,803 hectares | 635,803 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 648,837 hectares | 648,837 hectares | 648,837 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 662,139 hectares | 662,139 hectares | 662,139 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 675,713 hectares | 675,713 hectares | 675,713 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 689,566 hectares | 689,566 hectares | 689,566 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 703,702 hectares | 703,702 hectares | 703,702 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 733,089 hectares | 733,089 hectares | 733,089 hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 763,704 hectares | 763,704 hectares | 763,704 hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 795,597 hectares | 795,597 hectares | 795,597 hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 828,821 hectares | 828,821 hectares | 828,821 hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 863,434 hectares | 863,434 hectares | 863,434 hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 872,234 hectares | 872,234 hectares | 872,234 hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 881,124 hectares | 881,124 hectares | 881,124 hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 890,104 hectares | 890,104 hectares | 890,104 hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 899,177 hectares | 899,177 hectares | 899,177 hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 908,341 hectares | 908,341 hectares | 908,341 hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1.14 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.31 million hectares | 1.31 million hectares | 1.31 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.48 million hectares | 1.48 million hectares | 1.48 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.78 million hectares | 1.62 million hectares | 1.96 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.00 million hectares | 2.00 million hectares | 2.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.83 million hectares | 1.78 million hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.77 million hectares | 1.76 million hectares | 1.77 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.76 million hectares | 1.76 million hectares | 1.76 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.75 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 1.76 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.75 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.75 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 1.75 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More environment data for Iceland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.587 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.47 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8549 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -1.93 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use over the long-term in Iceland?
- Land use over the long-term in Iceland was 1.75 million hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use over the long-term recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.00 million hectares in 1960.
- What is the lowest land use over the long-term recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 562,915 hectares in 1700.
- How does Iceland rank for land use over the long-term?
- Iceland ranks 90th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is land use over the long-term rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total grazingland area for each separate country over time.