Agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland
Iceland: Agricultural area over the long-term was 1.87 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.87 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
120th
of 202 countries
All-time high
2.12 million hectares
in 1960
All-time low
596,543 hectares
in 1700
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland is 1.87 million hectares, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland peaked at 2.12 million hectares in 1960 and was at its lowest, 596,543 hectares, in 1700.
That places Iceland 120th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 597,845 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 837,841 hectares | +40.1% |
| 1200 | 838,698 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1300 | 839,552 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1400 | 720,347 hectares | -14.2% |
| 1500 | 721,076 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1600 | 601,502 hectares | -16.6% |
| 1700 | 596,543 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1710 | 608,779 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1720 | 621,265 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1730 | 634,008 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1740 | 647,011 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1750 | 660,282 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1760 | 673,824 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1770 | 687,644 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1780 | 701,748 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1790 | 716,141 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1800 | 730,830 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1810 | 745,819 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1820 | 776,972 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1830 | 809,427 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1840 | 843,237 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1850 | 878,460 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1860 | 915,154 hectares | +4.2% |
| 1870 | 924,490 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1880 | 933,921 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1890 | 943,449 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 953,074 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1910 | 962,797 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 1.20 million hectares | +25.0% |
| 1930 | 1.38 million hectares | +15.1% |
| 1940 | 1.57 million hectares | +13.7% |
| 1950 | 1.72 million hectares | +9.4% |
| 1951 | 1.75 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1952 | 1.78 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 1.82 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 1.86 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.90 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 1.95 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1957 | 1.99 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 2.03 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 2.08 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 2.12 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.12 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.00 million hectares | -5.6% |
| 1971 | 1.99 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 1.98 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 1.97 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 1.96 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 1.95 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 1.94 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 1.93 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 1.92 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 1.91 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 1.90 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 1.90 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 1.89 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.89 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.89 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.89 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.89 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 1.89 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.88 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.88 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 1.88 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.88 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.88 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.88 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 1.87 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.87 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.87 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.87 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.87 million hectares | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 1.87 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.51 million hectares, 1.2× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 1.87 million hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.75 million hectares, 68% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +40.1% | 597,845 hectares | 837,841 hectares |
| 1920 | +25.0% | 962,797 hectares | 1.20 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 597,845 hectares | 597,845 hectares | 597,845 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 837,841 hectares | 837,841 hectares | 837,841 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 838,698 hectares | 838,698 hectares | 838,698 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 839,552 hectares | 839,552 hectares | 839,552 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 720,347 hectares | 720,347 hectares | 720,347 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 721,076 hectares | 721,076 hectares | 721,076 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 601,502 hectares | 601,502 hectares | 601,502 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 596,543 hectares | 596,543 hectares | 596,543 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 608,779 hectares | 608,779 hectares | 608,779 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 621,265 hectares | 621,265 hectares | 621,265 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 634,008 hectares | 634,008 hectares | 634,008 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 647,011 hectares | 647,011 hectares | 647,011 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 660,282 hectares | 660,282 hectares | 660,282 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 673,824 hectares | 673,824 hectares | 673,824 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 687,644 hectares | 687,644 hectares | 687,644 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 701,748 hectares | 701,748 hectares | 701,748 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 716,141 hectares | 716,141 hectares | 716,141 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 730,830 hectares | 730,830 hectares | 730,830 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 745,819 hectares | 745,819 hectares | 745,819 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 776,972 hectares | 776,972 hectares | 776,972 hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 809,427 hectares | 809,427 hectares | 809,427 hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 843,237 hectares | 843,237 hectares | 843,237 hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 878,460 hectares | 878,460 hectares | 878,460 hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 915,154 hectares | 915,154 hectares | 915,154 hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 924,490 hectares | 924,490 hectares | 924,490 hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 933,921 hectares | 933,921 hectares | 933,921 hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 943,449 hectares | 943,449 hectares | 943,449 hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 953,074 hectares | 953,074 hectares | 953,074 hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 962,797 hectares | 962,797 hectares | 962,797 hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.38 million hectares | 1.38 million hectares | 1.38 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.57 million hectares | 1.57 million hectares | 1.57 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.89 million hectares | 1.72 million hectares | 2.08 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.12 million hectares | 2.12 million hectares | 2.12 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.96 million hectares | 1.91 million hectares | 2.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.90 million hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.90 million hectares | 1.89 million hectares | 1.90 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.88 million hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 1.89 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.87 million hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.87 million hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 1.87 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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 area over the long-term in Iceland?
- Agricultural area over the long-term in Iceland was 1.87 million hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.12 million hectares in 1960.
- What is the lowest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 596,543 hectares in 1700.
- How does Iceland rank for agricultural area over the long-term?
- Iceland ranks 120th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural area over the long-term rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total agricultural area for each separate country over time.