People using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland
Iceland: People using at least a basic drinking water source was 393,396 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland stood at 393,396 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland peaked at 393,396 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 281,280 people, in 2000.
Iceland ranks 174th of 231 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 281,280 people | — |
| 2001 | 285,053 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 287,607 people | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 289,605 people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 292,168 people | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 296,834 people | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 303,874 people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 311,651 people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 317,514 people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 318,612 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 318,158 people | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 319,137 people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 320,841 people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 323,885 people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 327,512 people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 330,952 people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 335,574 people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 343,531 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 352,854 people | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 360,700 people | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 366,614 people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 372,644 people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 380,356 people | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 387,558 people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 393,396 people | +1.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 393,396 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.05 million people, 13% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 393,396 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.20 million people, 6% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 298,420 people | 281,280 people | 318,612 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 333,314 people | 318,158 people | 360,700 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 380,114 people | 366,614 people | 393,396 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 171 Cape Verde 484,357 people compare
- 172 Brunei 462,721 people compare
- 173 Belize 395,582 people compare
- 175 Bahamas 390,512 people compare
- 176 Guadeloupe 374,829 people compare
- 177 Martinique 341,836 people compare
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 people using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland?
- People using at least a basic drinking water source in Iceland was 393,396 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 393,396 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 281,280 people in 2000.
- How does Iceland rank for people using at least a basic drinking water source?
- Iceland ranks 174th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using an improved drinking water source, which is either available on premises, or collection time is no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.