Health · Europe & Central Asia · High income
Iceland: health in numbers
Life expectancy is 82.8 yrs (2024), 26th of 217 in the world and 15th of 58 in Europe & Central Asia. Life expectancy, women is 84.5 yrs (2024), 30th of 217 in the world and 18th of 58 in Europe & Central Asia. Life expectancy, men is 81.2 yrs (2024), 17th of 217 in the world and 12th of 58 in Europe & Central Asia.
Life expectancy
IcelandEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
Life expectancy, women
IcelandEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
18 indicators
Health: Iceland in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyLife expectancy at birth, years | 82.8 yrs2024 | 26/217 | 15/58 | 79.7 yrs | 81.9 yrs | 83.1 yrs | −0.1%since 2014 | 78.6 yrs | 80.4 yrs | 73.5 yrs | |
| Life expectancy, womenLife expectancy at birth, women, years | 84.5 yrs2024 | 30/217 | 18/58 | 81.6 yrs | 84.1 yrs | 84.6 yrs | ±0.0%since 2014 | 81.8 yrs | 83.2 yrs | 76.0 yrs | |
| Life expectancy, menLife expectancy at birth, men, years | 81.2 yrs2024 | 17/217 | 12/58 | 77.8 yrs | 79.8 yrs | 81.6 yrs | −0.1%since 2014 | 75.6 yrs | 77.8 yrs | 71.1 yrs | |
| Infant mortalityInfant mortality, per 1,000 live births | 2.12024 | 186/196 | 43/52 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | +5.0%since 2014 | 6.6 | 4.2 | 27.7 | |
| Under-5 mortalityUnder-5 mortality, per 1,000 live births | 2.82024 | 178/196 | 37/52 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 2.8 | +7.7%since 2014 | 7.8 | 5.1 | 37.4 | |
| Neonatal mortalityNeonatal mortality, per 1,000 live births | 1.42024 | 182/196 | 41/52 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | +7.7%since 2014 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 17.2 | |
| Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality, per 100,000 live births | 32023 | 184/194 | 45/51 | 7 | 5 | 12 | −25%since 2013 | 11 | 10 | 197 | |
| Measles vaccinationMeasles immunisation, % of children 12–23 months | 97%2024 | 35/193 | 11/51 | 91% | 93% | 93% | +7.0 ppsince 2014 | 94% | 94% | 84% | |
| HIV prevalenceHIV prevalence, % of people 15–49 | 0.1%2024 | 122/153 | 27/35 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | ±0.0 ppsince 2014 | — | — | 0.7% | |
| TuberculosisTuberculosis incidence, per 100,000 people | 32024 | 191/208 | 48/52 | 5 | 7 | 3 | +25%since 2014 | 22 | 12 | 131 | |
| Health spendingCurrent health expenditure, % of GDP | 9.0%2024 | 45/193 | 17/52 | 8.9% | 8.4% | 9.6% | +0.7 ppsince 2014 | 9.6% | 12.5% | 10.1% | |
| Out-of-pocket spendingOut-of-pocket health spending, % of health expenditure | 14.9%2024 | 143/193 | 36/52 | 18.0% | 18.7% | 14.9% | −3.0 ppsince 2014 | 16.5% | 13.4% | 17.3% | |
| PhysiciansPhysicians per 1,000 people | 4.372023 | 21/180 | 16/50 | 3.44 | 3.59 | 4.32 | +21%since 2013 | 3.90 | 3.78 | 1.86 | |
| Hospital bedsHospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.82020 | 71/182 | 43/51 | · | 3.6 | 2.8 | −21%since 2010 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 3.3 | |
| Basic waterBasic drinking water, % of population | 100.0%2024 | 15/206 | 9/56 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | ±0.0 ppsince 2014 | 98.0% | 99.2% | 91.5% | |
| Basic sanitationBasic sanitation, % of population | 98.8%2024 | 60/203 | 28/54 | 98.8% | 98.8% | 98.8% | ±0.0 ppsince 2014 | 97.4% | 98.3% | 82.2% | |
| Tobacco useTobacco use, % of adults | 9.2%2024 | 138/166 | 47/48 | 31.1% | 18.6% | 11.3% | −9.4 ppsince 2010 | 24.9% | 20.2% | 20.3% | |
| Road deathsRoad traffic deaths, per 100,000 people | 2.02019 | 181/186 | 48/49 | 11.8 | 2.6 | 2.02019 | −65%since 2009 | 7.4 | 8.7 | 16.7 |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Maternal mortality−25%3 in 2023
- Measles vaccination+7.0 pp97% in 2024
- Out-of-pocket spending−3.0 pp14.9% in 2024
- Physicians+21%4.37 in 2023
Worse than ten years ago
- Life expectancy−0.1%82.8 yrs in 2024
- Life expectancy, men−0.1%81.2 yrs in 2024
- Infant mortality+5.0%2.1 in 2024
- Under-5 mortality+7.7%2.8 in 2024
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Iceland and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Iceland. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Iceland | Greenland | Faroe Islands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 82.8 yrs2024 | 70.3 yrs2024 | 83.1 yrs2024 |
| Life expectancy, women | 84.5 yrs2024 | 72.2 yrs2024 | 84.9 yrs2024 |
| Life expectancy, men | 81.2 yrs2024 | 68.4 yrs2024 | 81.3 yrs2024 |
| Infant mortality | 2.12024 | — | — |
| Under-5 mortality | 2.82024 | — | — |
| Neonatal mortality | 1.42024 | — | — |
| Maternal mortality | 32023 | — | — |
| Measles vaccination | 97%2024 | — | — |
| HIV prevalence | 0.1%2024 | — | — |