Share of births that are twins in Iceland
Iceland: Share of births that are twins was 1.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
1.2%
Change on year
down 22.2%
World rank
20th
of 23 countries
All-time high
2.4%
in 1881
All-time low
0.6%
in 1976
Years of data
165
1850–2020
Share of births that are twins in Iceland, 1850–2020
Source: Human Multiple Births Database (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of births that are twins in Iceland is 1.2%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 22.2% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of births that are twins in Iceland peaked at 2.4% in 1881 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1976.
Iceland ranks 20th of 23 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 165 years of available data.
Share of births that are twins in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1.5% | — |
| 1851 | 0.8% | -42.2% |
| 1852 | 1.9% | +125.3% |
| 1854 | 1.6% | -19.0% |
| 1855 | 1.5% | -0.4% |
| 1856 | 1.8% | +14.5% |
| 1857 | 1.1% | -37.5% |
| 1858 | 1.3% | +18.7% |
| 1859 | 1.7% | +33.2% |
| 1860 | 1.1% | -36.5% |
| 1861 | 1.4% | +30.5% |
| 1862 | 1.2% | -16.9% |
| 1863 | 1.3% | +11.6% |
| 1864 | 1.9% | +43.1% |
| 1865 | 1.4% | -29.1% |
| 1866 | 1.6% | +14.9% |
| 1867 | 1.7% | +9.1% |
| 1868 | 1.5% | -10.2% |
| 1869 | 1.6% | +6.5% |
| 1870 | 2.1% | +26.3% |
| 1871 | 1.9% | -6.6% |
| 1872 | 1.5% | -20.9% |
| 1878 | 2.0% | +29.1% |
| 1879 | 1.4% | -31.3% |
| 1880 | 1.5% | +8.9% |
| 1881 | 2.4% | +62.7% |
| 1882 | 1.5% | -36.1% |
| 1883 | 1.4% | -5.8% |
| 1884 | 1.4% | -5.5% |
| 1885 | 1.7% | +28.0% |
| 1886 | 1.4% | -18.6% |
| 1887 | 1.7% | +20.5% |
| 1888 | 1.7% | -1.5% |
| 1889 | 2.2% | +28.5% |
| 1890 | 2.2% | +2.1% |
| 1891 | 2.0% | -11.0% |
| 1892 | 1.7% | -14.2% |
| 1893 | 1.9% | +10.5% |
| 1894 | 1.7% | -7.9% |
| 1895 | 1.5% | -9.8% |
| 1896 | 2.0% | +27.8% |
| 1897 | 1.6% | -18.4% |
| 1898 | 1.9% | +20.6% |
| 1899 | 1.6% | -16.8% |
| 1900 | 1.5% | -4.9% |
| 1901 | 1.4% | -12.4% |
| 1902 | 1.9% | +38.4% |
| 1903 | 1.6% | -16.0% |
| 1904 | 1.8% | +15.6% |
| 1905 | 1.1% | -37.8% |
| 1906 | 1.6% | +41.4% |
| 1907 | 2.3% | +43.4% |
| 1908 | 1.2% | -49.1% |
| 1909 | 2.0% | +67.9% |
| 1910 | 1.6% | -18.5% |
| 1911 | 1.6% | -1.4% |
| 1912 | 1.5% | -7.6% |
| 1913 | 1.5% | +3.4% |
| 1914 | 1.1% | -29.7% |
| 1915 | 1.6% | +56.3% |
| 1916 | 1.3% | -20.4% |
| 1917 | 1.6% | +21.7% |
| 1918 | 1.9% | +19.0% |
| 1919 | 1.5% | -22.2% |
| 1920 | 1.6% | +6.9% |
| 1921 | 1.6% | +0.7% |
| 1922 | 1.2% | -26.7% |
| 1923 | 1.3% | +14.2% |
| 1924 | 1.6% | +23.6% |
| 1925 | 1.2% | -25.0% |
| 1926 | 1.8% | +43.9% |
| 1927 | 1.6% | -11.7% |
| 1928 | 1.6% | -0.6% |
| 1929 | 1.6% | +5.1% |
| 1930 | 1.4% | -11.7% |
| 1931 | 1.2% | -17.2% |
| 1932 | 1.0% | -17.3% |
| 1933 | 1.3% | +34.5% |
| 1934 | 1.6% | +20.6% |
| 1935 | 1.0% | -39.8% |
| 1936 | 0.9% | -3.9% |
| 1937 | 1.4% | +51.0% |
| 1938 | 1.4% | +0.9% |
| 1939 | 1.5% | +7.5% |
| 1940 | 1.0% | -34.5% |
| 1941 | 1.2% | +24.5% |
| 1942 | 1.3% | +3.1% |
| 1943 | 1.8% | +37.2% |
| 1944 | 1.3% | -28.7% |
| 1945 | 1.1% | -14.8% |
| 1946 | 1.1% | +5.3% |
| 1947 | 1.4% | +22.1% |
| 1948 | 1.2% | -11.3% |
| 1949 | 0.9% | -24.6% |
| 1950 | 1.0% | +10.9% |
| 1951 | 1.0% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 1.1% | +4.8% |
| 1953 | 1.1% | -3.7% |
| 1954 | 0.9% | -11.9% |
| 1955 | 1.2% | +26.4% |
| 1956 | 1.1% | -5.9% |
| 1957 | 0.9% | -19.9% |
| 1958 | 0.9% | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 1.0% | +10.0% |
| 1960 | 1.1% | +8.6% |
| 1961 | 1.1% | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 0.8% | -26.4% |
| 1963 | 0.9% | +15.7% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | +51.0% |
| 1965 | 1.3% | -5.1% |
| 1966 | 0.8% | -36.2% |
| 1967 | 0.9% | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 1.0% | +14.8% |
| 1969 | 0.9% | -11.4% |
| 1970 | 0.7% | -20.0% |
| 1971 | 0.9% | +30.2% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | -15.7% |
| 1973 | 1.0% | +26.9% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -18.2% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | +28.6% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -44.7% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | +59.6% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | +11.6% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -17.7% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | +15.0% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | -17.0% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | +39.0% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -26.5% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | -18.1% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +16.0% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | +12.0% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | +47.4% |
| 1992 | 1.6% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -13.0% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +33.1% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +7.8% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -19.7% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +30.1% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | -10.4% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -14.6% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +21.0% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -10.9% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -14.1% |
| 2006 | 2.1% | +35.6% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -19.1% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -10.1% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | +12.6% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -21.1% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +15.8% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -22.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 1.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.4%, 83% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 1.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.4%, 82% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1.5% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 9 |
| 1860s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 5 |
| 1880s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of births that are twins in Iceland?
- Share of births that are twins in Iceland was 1.2% in 2020, according to Human Multiple Births Database (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of births that are twins recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1881.
- What is the lowest share of births that are twins recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1976.
- How does Iceland rank for share of births that are twins?
- Iceland ranks 20th out of 23 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of births that are twins rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Human Multiple Births Database (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of births that are twins. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 165 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of twin deliveries per 100 deliveries.