Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Iceland: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Iceland is placed 15th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 82.69 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 2.82 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
15th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 82.69Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 2.82Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- —Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024No reading for this country
- 1.8Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024Population in severe food insecurity (%)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Iceland on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
82.69
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Iceland: 82.69. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Northern Europe
- 83.31 Norway
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
2.82
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Iceland: 2.82. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Northern Europe
- 2.016 Estonia
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Iceland, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Northern Europe
- 0.518 Latvia
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
1.8
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
Iceland: 1.8. Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Northern Europe
- 1.2 Lithuania
02Over time
Which way Iceland is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
IcelandWorld median
Iceland rose from 79.55 in 2000 to 82.69 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Iceland World median 2023 82.691 74.630 2022 81.588 74.313 2021 82.843 72.433 2020 82.711 73.063 2019 82.847 74.196 2018 82.453 74.081 2017 82.241 74.029 2016 81.829 74.013 2015 82.164 73.783 2014 82.430 73.330 2013 81.743 73.386 2012 82.346 73.210 2011 81.973 73.003 2010 81.594 72.827 2009 81.417 72.426 2008 81.244 72.264 2007 81.093 72.113 2006 80.938 72.027 2005 81.169 71.876 2004 80.721 71.477 2003 80.768 71.409 2002 80.278 71.173 2001 80.421 70.926 2000 79.549 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
IcelandWorld median
Iceland fell from 3.916 in 2000 to 2.82 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Iceland World median 2024 2.819712 14.5 2023 2.856451 15.2 2022 2.866870 14.7 2021 2.856206 15.1 2020 2.819710 15.3 2019 2.769782 15.7 2018 2.722576 16.3 2017 2.679965 16.8 2016 2.644992 17.5 2015 2.614959 17.9 2014 2.597806 18.3 2013 2.590172 18.7 2012 2.598307 18.8 2011 2.617529 19.0 2010 2.652632 19.2 2009 2.700246 20.8 2008 2.766578 20.7 2007 2.848184 21.8 2006 2.947159 22.8 2005 3.058597 24.0 2004 3.191161 25.9 2003 3.345811 26.9 2002 3.517601 28.0 2001 3.706398 29.1 2000 3.916300 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
IcelandWorld median
Iceland rose from 1.7 in 2015 to 1.8 in 2024; the world median went from 3.4 to 4.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Iceland World median 2024 1.8 4.9 2023 2.1 4.7 2022 1.9 5.4 2021 1.6 5.7 2020 1.3 5.6 2019 1.5 5.0 2018 1.5 4.2 2017 1.5 4.0 2016 1.7 3.4 2015 1.7 3.4
03In context
Iceland beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Iceland and Northern Europe
Iceland has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Norway | 9th | 83.31 | 2.487 | — | 1.5 |
| Iceland | 15th | 82.69 | 2.82 | — | 1.8 |
 Estonia | 16th | 79.15 | 2.016 | 1.212 | 1.9 |
 Finland | 18th | 81.91 | 2.352 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
 Sweden | 22nd | 83.26 | 2.406 | — | 3.2 |
 Lithuania | 25th | 76.03 | 3.377 | 1.036 | 1.2 |
 Latvia | 27th | 76.19 | 2.501 | 0.518 | 1.8 |
 Denmark | 33rd | 81.93 | 3.955 | — | 1.9 |
 Ireland | 40th | 82.41 | 3.863 | 2.236 | 3.1 |
 United Kingdom | 43rd | 81.3 | 4.68 | 1.956 | 4 |
| Channel Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Faroe Islands | not placed | 80.18 | — | — | — |
 Isle of Man | not placed | 81 | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Northern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Iceland in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Iceland is ahead of the world, and behind
35 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median26
Statistics on which Iceland does better than the middle country measured.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.9720.762No real change since 2013
Iceland: 0.972 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 1st of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.213.99310.21No real change since 2010
Iceland: 3.993 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 158th of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8580.4842.858No real change since 2014
Iceland: 0.484 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 199th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.0240.351No real change since 2013
Iceland: 0.024 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 7th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1632.0428.163▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 2.042 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 191st of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.653.0246.65No real change since 2013
Iceland: 3.02 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 185th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.262.12312.26▼ Worsened since 2014
Iceland: 2.123 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 189th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 26.41.826.4▼ Worsened since 2017
Iceland: 1.8 · world median 26.4 · Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 93.9; lower is better.
Position 134th of 145 · derived, 1st = worst.
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9823,6082,982▲ Improved since 2014
Iceland: 3,608 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 13th of 155 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.20.25▲ Improved since 2014
Iceland: 0.2 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1341.4238.134▼ Worsened since 2014
Iceland: 1.423 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 184th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.463.36927.46▲ Improved since 2013
Iceland: 3.369 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 203rd of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.59265.5No real change since 2018
Iceland: 92 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.455.114.45▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 5.1 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 199th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3920.7716.39▲ Improved since 2013
Iceland: 20.77 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 25th of 222 · derived.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.7450.564No real change since 2010
Iceland: 0.745 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 27th of 172 · derived.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.757.66133.7▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 57.66 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 188th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4803.48No real change since 2015
Iceland: 0 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.83130.1484.83▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 130.14 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 413041▼ Worsened since 2012
Iceland: 30 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.97.920.9▼ Worsened since 2015
Iceland: 7.9 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 105th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69157.68102.69▲ Improved since 2013
Iceland: 157.68 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35179.4272.35No earlier reading
Iceland: 179.4 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
Fatal Occupational InjuriesILO · 2023 · world median 2.0051.382.005▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 1.38 · world median 2.005 · Fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.12 to 8.409; lower is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909490▲ Improved since 2015
Iceland: 94 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Behind the world median3
Statistics on which Iceland does worse than the middle country measured.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919091▲ Improved since 2015
Iceland: 90 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.397.699.3▼ Worsened since 2013
Iceland: 97.6 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 64th of 84 · derived.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6560.6877.65No earlier reading
Iceland: 60.68 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 124th of 144 · derived.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1783.8116.17No real change since 2013
Iceland: 83.81 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8398.0557.83Moved since 2013
Iceland: 98.05 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6516.920.65No earlier reading
Iceland: 16.9 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8932.3838.89Moved since 2015
Iceland: 32.38 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 154th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.644.55Moved since 2017
Iceland: 3.64 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.730.021.73No real change since 2014
Iceland: 0.02 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 173rd of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Iceland
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method), Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern Methods, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Institutional Deliveries, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Modern Contraceptive Prevalence, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Iceland’s 16 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Iceland’s 9th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Security1st of 1773/4 keys
- Work & Labour1st of 1824/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation4th of 1763/4 keys
- Energy5th of 1653/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience8th of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality8th of 1593/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties11th of 1984/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital14th of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing15th of 2003/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 19th of 1944/4 keys
- Gender & Equality37th of 1833/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge56th of 1983/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 68th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture70th of 1844/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade93rd of 1774/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 118th of 1863/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Iceland can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Europe
San Marino1st2/4 keysHighest in Northern Europe
Norway9th3/4 keysThis page
Iceland15th3/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Iceland and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Iceland on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Iceland rank on health & wellbeing?
Iceland is placed 15th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate and Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Iceland?
82.69 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Iceland?
2.82 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How have Iceland’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 79.55 in 2000 to 82.69 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 3.916 in 2000 to 2.82 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity rose from 1.7 in 2015 to 1.8 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Iceland?
No current reading is published for Iceland on Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method), Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern Methods, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Institutional Deliveries, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Modern Contraceptive Prevalence, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 35 statistics on this page come from 15 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Iceland’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Iceland (banner) — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Iceland: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/iceland/health