Land use in Iceland
Iceland: Land use was 121,000 hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
121,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
154th
of 224 countries
All-time high
136,000 hectares
in 1990
All-time low
120,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Iceland, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 121,000 hectares for land use in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Iceland peaked at 136,000 hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 120,000 hectares, in 1961.
That places Iceland 154th out of 224 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Land use in Iceland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 120,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 120,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 121,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 122,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 123,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 124,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 125,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 126,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 127,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 129,000 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 130,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 131,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 133,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 133,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 134,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 134,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 134,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 134,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 135,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 136,000 hectares | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 136,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 136,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 135,000 hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 134,000 hectares | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 133,000 hectares | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 130,000 hectares | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 129,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 129,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 125,000 hectares | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 125,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 124,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 123,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 122,200 hectares | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 121,200 hectares | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 121,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 121,200 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 121,000 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 121,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 121,000 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 40% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 121,000 hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.39 million hectares, 9% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 120,000 hectares | 120,000 hectares | 120,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 125,800 hectares | 121,000 hectares | 131,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 134,200 hectares | 133,000 hectares | 135,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 133,900 hectares | 129,000 hectares | 136,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 127,700 hectares | 124,000 hectares | 129,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 121,380 hectares | 121,000 hectares | 123,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 121,000 hectares | 121,000 hectares | 121,000 hectares | 4 |
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 in Iceland?
- Land use in Iceland was 121,000 hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 136,000 hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 120,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Iceland rank for land use?
- Iceland ranks 154th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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