Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Iceland
Iceland: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 219,746 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Iceland, 2003–2019
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 219,746 international-$ in 2021 prices for total shortfall from extreme poverty in 2019.
The figure is down 66.2% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Iceland peaked at 650,409 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2014.
Iceland ranks 112th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 178,302 international-$ in 2021 prices | 18,844 international-$ in 2021 prices | 360,339 international-$ in 2021 prices | 7 |
| 2010s | 189,013 international-$ in 2021 prices | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 650,409 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More poverty & inequality data for Iceland
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 4 surveys (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.54 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,430 kg per hectare (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 35.6% (2023)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.024 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.0701 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.0701 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.0858 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 24.8% (2023)
- Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.1068 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total shortfall from extreme poverty in Iceland?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Iceland was 219,746 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 650,409 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2018.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2014.
- How does Iceland rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Iceland ranks 112th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.