Landshagir - 01.11.2010, Blaðsíða 47

Population
LANDSHAGIR 2010 STATISTICAL YEARBOOK OF ICELAND 2010
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Statistics Iceland provides information on
the resident population in Iceland on the
basis of the population register 1 January
each year. Figures for the population on
1 December, 1 July (mid­year popula­
tion) and preliminary quarterly figures
are also published. Figures on changes in
the demographic characteristics of the
Icelandic population are published yearly,
e.g. information on marriages, consensual
unions, divorces, births, deaths, adop­
tions, changes in residence, in citizenship
and religious affiliation. The latest popu­
lation projection projects the population
from 2010 to 2060.
The population decreased for the first time
since 1889
On 1 January 2010 the population was
317,630, compared with 319,368 1 January
2009. The population decrease is due to
a record negative net migration in 2009,
while the natural increase (births less
deaths) was 1%. In 2009, 4,835 persons
emigrated in excess of immigrants, of
which 2,466 were Icelandic citizens. The
highest number of the emigrants moved
to Poland and Norway.
The population decreased in all regions of
the country in 2009, mostly in the East
and West regions. Least affected were the
Capital region, the Westfjords and the
Northwest region.
The population has nevertheless grown in
the past five years by an annual average
growth rate of 1.6%.The Westfjords and the
Northwest region were the only regions in
the past five years showing a population
decrease, while the Southwest grew well
above the national average since 2005.
Live births in Iceland were 5,027 in 2009,
2,561 boys and 2,466 girls. This is an
increase of 192 children from the previous
year when live births where 4,835. Never
before have there been more children born
in one year. The total fertility rate was
2.22, compared with 2.14 in 2008 and 2.09
in 2007.
In 2009, 2,002 persons died, constituting
a crude death rate of 6.3 deaths per 1,000
population. The life expectancy of boys at
birth is 79.7 years, and of girls 83.3 years.
Change of citizenship 2009
In 2009, 728 individuals were granted an
Icelandic citizenship, a decline from a
record year in 2008 when 914 individu­
als were naturalised. More females were
granted an Icelandic citizenship in 2009
than males, or 414 females compared with
314 males.
The largest number of those who are
granted Icelandic citizenship come from
Europe. In 2009 the majority of those orig­
inated from Poland (153) and Serbia (76).
Asians are the second largest group, with
106 who had formerly a Philippine citizen­
ship and 51 Vietnamese.
Marriage rate in 2009 dropped considerably
compared with previous years
In 2009, 1,480 couples got married in
Iceland, a total of 1,704 couples were
married in 2008 and 1,797 in 2007, which
is the highest number of marriages regis­
tered in Iceland in a single year. Church
weddings fell by 243 from 2008 to 2009
while the number of civil weddings was
352 in 2009 and has only once, in 2007,
been higher.