Iceland vs Norway: Human Development Index groups
Iceland
0.972
in 2023
Norway
0.97
in 2023
Iceland rank
1st
Norway rank
2nd
Human Development Index groups over time
- Iceland
- Norway
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 0.972 against 0.97 in Norway, a difference of 0.002.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Norway ahead.
Iceland ranks 1st and Norway ranks 2nd of 192 countries.
Norway has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Norway | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.869 | 0.8854 | 0.0164 | Norway |
| 2000s | 0.9263 | 0.9348 | 0.0085 | Norway |
| 2010s | 0.9538 | 0.9574 | 0.0036 | Norway |
| 2020s | 0.967 | 0.9688 | 0.0018 | Norway |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher human development index groups, Iceland or Norway?
- Iceland, at 0.972 against 0.97 in Norway as of 2023.
- What is the difference in human development index groups between Iceland and Norway?
- 0.002, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Norway?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do Iceland and Norway rank globally for human development index groups?
- Iceland ranks 1st and Norway ranks 2nd of 192 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Human Development Index groups. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, a good education, and a decent standard of living. Higher values indicate higher human development.