Agricultural land in Iceland
Iceland: Agricultural land was 16,380 sq. km in 2023. βΌ Falling
Agricultural land in Iceland, 1961β2023
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 sq. km.
Analysis
In 2023, agricultural land in Iceland stood at 16,380 sq. km. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Iceland peaked at 21,200 sq. km in 1961 and was at its lowest, 16,380 sq. km, in 2023.
Iceland ranks 128th of 211 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21,200 sq. km | 21,200 sq. km | 21,200 sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 19,557 sq. km | 19,110 sq. km | 20,010 sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,000 sq. km | 19,000 sq. km | 19,000 sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 18,974 sq. km | 18,890 sq. km | 19,010 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 18,824 sq. km | 18,750 sq. km | 18,890 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 18,724 sq. km | 18,720 sq. km | 18,740 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 18,135 sq. km | 16,380 sq. km | 18,720 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 125 Djibouti 17,039 sq. km compare
- 126 Costa Rica 16,923 sq. km compare
- 127 Armenia 16,523 sq. km compare
- 129 Republic of Korea 15,680 sq. km compare
- 130 Switzerland 14,932 sq. km compare
- 131 Croatia 14,860 sq. km 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)
- Agriculture share gdp 3.65 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 3.65 (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 16,380 sq. km 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 21,200 sq. km in 1961.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16,380 sq. km in 2023.
- How does Iceland rank for agricultural land?
- Iceland ranks 128th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. 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 (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the 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.