From the field of demography of Iceland

Abstract

This article discusses demography as a subfield of sociology. The article covers the main topics of demography, the size, composition and distribution of human population and addresses research by Icelandic scholars that have contributed to increased understanding of the demography of the Icelandic population. Historical changes in the population are discussed before covering the changes in population in recent decades. Emphasis is placed on births, migration and family type. The growth of the Icelandic population has been much greater than the national birth rate suggests, because of the age composition of the population immigration. The number of births reached a historical peak in 2009, while the number of children born per woman reached a historical low in 2016. Life expectancy has changed little in recent years, after infant mortality reached a statistically very low level. External migration will most likely be a popular research topic in the coming years, especially the social, economic and cultural impacts that the migration will have on an ever changing society. The recruitment of new Icelandic demographers has been slow, formal demographic research will hopefully prosper and deepen our understanding of population dynamics and the interaction of the population with other fundamental aspects of society.