Iceland Rate of Natural Increase

Iceland’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between its crude birth rate and crude death rate—has remained positive but modest in recent years, typically ranging between 0.5% and 0.7% annually. This is slightly higher than most of its Nordic neighbors, such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, where RNIs have stagnated or even turned negative due to low birth rates and aging populations. For example, Sweden and Finland have seen near-zero or negative RNIs in the past decade. Iceland’s relatively youthful population and higher fertility rates contribute to its stronger RNI, setting it apart from its neighbors who rely more on immigration to sustain population growth. Despite this, all these countries—due to high standards of living and robust healthcare—share low mortality rates, making the main difference in RNI attributable to variations in birth rates.

Data from US Census International Database