Agricultural land in Iceland
Iceland: Agricultural land was 16.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Agricultural land in Iceland, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 16.2% for agricultural land in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 12.5% on the previous year and down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Iceland peaked at 21.1% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2023.
That places Iceland 163rd out of 210 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 21.1% | — |
| 1962 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 21.1% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 20.0% | -5.6% |
| 1971 | 19.9% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 19.8% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 19.7% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 19.6% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 19.5% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 19.4% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 19.3% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 19.0% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 19.0% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 19.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 19.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 18.9% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 18.8% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 18.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 18.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 18.7% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 18.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 18.7% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 18.7% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 18.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 18.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 18.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 18.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 18.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 16.2% | -12.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.1% | 21.1% | 21.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 19.5% | 19.1% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.0% | 19.0% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 18.8% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.8% | 18.7% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.7% | 18.6% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.0% | 16.2% | 18.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 160 Algeria 17.4% compare
- 161 Fiji 17.1% compare
- 162 Saint Lucia 16.3% compare
- 164 Republic of Korea 16.1% compare
- 165 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15.5% compare
- 166 Vanuatu 15.3% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Iceland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 19.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0365 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 3,593 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8983 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Iceland?
- Agricultural land in Iceland was 16.2% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2023.
- How does Iceland rank for agricultural land?
- Iceland ranks 163rd out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Agricultural land (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.