West Iceland, population 18,070, Stykkishólmur

Four Hundred Thousand

On the fifteenth of February 2024, Iceland reached a milestone; the population of the republic reached 400 thousand, according to the National Registry. Fifty-six years ago, in 1968, the population amounted to 200 thousand, and to 300 thousand forty-eight years later, in 2006. Of course, these are milestones, but today more people move here than are born. So, it is difficult, according to an interview with Hildur Ragnars, Director of the National Registry of Iceland on local news agency Visir.is, to pinpoint the four hundred thousandth individual. Was it a child born in the maternity ward in Akureyri, was a migrant worker from Bulgaria, an engineer from Venezuela, or an exchange student from Sapporo?

One-fifth of the nation’s population is now born in another country. Nearly all the country’s residents live in the southwest corner. It is striking on a convenient map made by Sara Rut Fannarsdóttir for Visir.is, how few live in the scattered settlements of the country. Of the 400 thousand inhabitants of the country, only 7,478 individuals live in the entire northwest. In all of the Westfjords, many more live, or 7,510 individuals—well, 32 more—while the capital area has well over 250 thousand inhabitants.