How does Iceland rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?

Iceland ranks 101st out of 209 countries with data for 2023.

Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in Iceland?

Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Iceland data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland

Name: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Iceland: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures was 15.05 percent in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

15.05 percent

Change on year

down 13.4%

World rank

101st

of 209 countries

All-time high

19.95 percent

in 1961

All-time low

15.05 percent

in 2023

Years of data

1961–2023

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.

Analysis

In 2023, share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland stood at 15.05 percent. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.4% on the previous year and down 13.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland peaked at 19.95 percent in 1961 and was at its lowest, 15.05 percent, in 2023.

That places Iceland 101st out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland, 1961 to 2023.
Year	percent	Change
1961	19.95 percent	—
1962	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1963	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1964	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1965	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1966	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1967	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1968	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1969	19.95 percent	+0.0%
1970	18.75 percent	-6.0%
1971	18.64 percent	-0.6%
1972	18.53 percent	-0.6%
1973	18.42 percent	-0.6%
1974	18.3 percent	-0.7%
1975	18.19 percent	-0.6%
1976	18.08 percent	-0.6%
1977	17.98 percent	-0.6%
1978	17.87 percent	-0.6%
1979	17.76 percent	-0.6%
1980	17.63 percent	-0.7%
1981	17.63 percent	+0.0%
1982	17.62 percent	-0.1%
1983	17.62 percent	+0.0%
1984	17.62 percent	+0.0%
1985	17.62 percent	+0.0%
1986	17.61 percent	-0.1%
1987	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1988	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1989	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1990	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1991	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1992	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1993	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1994	17.61 percent	+0.0%
1995	17.6 percent	-0.1%
1996	17.59 percent	-0.1%
1997	17.58 percent	-0.1%
1998	17.57 percent	-0.1%
1999	17.56 percent	-0.1%
2000	17.56 percent	+0.0%
2001	17.56 percent	+0.0%
2002	17.54 percent	-0.1%
2003	17.52 percent	-0.1%
2004	17.51 percent	-0.1%
2005	17.49 percent	-0.1%
2006	17.48 percent	-0.1%
2007	17.47 percent	-0.1%
2008	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2009	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2010	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2011	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2012	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2013	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2014	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2015	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2016	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2017	17.47 percent	+0.0%
2018	17.37 percent	-0.6%
2019	17.37 percent	+0.0%
2020	17.37 percent	+0.0%
2021	17.37 percent	+0.0%
2022	17.37 percent	+0.0%
2023	15.05 percent	-13.4%

Iceland compared with similar countries

Iceland's 15.05 percent is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.66 percent, 1.6× the median. (71 countries reporting)
Iceland's 15.05 percent is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.31 percent, 98% of the median. (53 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	19.95 percent	19.95 percent	19.95 percent	9
1970s	18.25 percent	17.76 percent	18.75 percent	10
1980s	17.62 percent	17.61 percent	17.63 percent	10
1990s	17.59 percent	17.56 percent	17.61 percent	10
2000s	17.51 percent	17.47 percent	17.56 percent	10
2010s	17.45 percent	17.37 percent	17.47 percent	10
2020s	16.79 percent	15.05 percent	17.37 percent	4

Countries ranked near Iceland

98 Rwanda 15.65 percent compare
99 Belgium 15.31 percent compare
100 El Salvador 15.19 percent compare
102 Guadeloupe 14.94 percent compare
103 USSR 14.89 percent compare
104 Guam 14.81 percent compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More reference data data for Iceland

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0288 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0708 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1854 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1854 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0964 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.062 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2576 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7664 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland?: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland was 15.05 percent in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Iceland?: The highest recorded value was 19.95 percent in 1961.
What is the lowest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Iceland?: The lowest recorded value was 15.05 percent in 2023.
How does Iceland rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?: Iceland ranks 101st out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in Iceland?: Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iceland data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-meadows-and-pastures/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures
Unit: percent
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 210 places, 12,094 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Permanent meadows and pastures are areas used permanently (five years or more) for herbaceous forage crops, either cultivated or growing wild (wild prairie or grazing land).