1.1.1 Population

Progress

Figure 1. The number of inhabitants in East Iceland 2003 - 2024 (Múlaþing, Fjarðabyggð, Fljótsdalshreppur, and Vopnafjarðarhreppur)^a.

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Figure 2. The population of East Iceland (Múlaþing, Fjarðabyggð, Fljótsdalshreppur, and Vopnafjarðarhreppur)^a and percentage of the national population.

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Figure 3. Population trend in Iceland and East Iceland (Múlaþing, Fjarðabyggð, Fljótsdalshreppur, and Vopnafjarðarhreppur)^a from the year 1998 (Index 1998 = 100).

^a: Division into municipalities as of January 1, 2024

Raw data in Excel sheet

Updated: March 27, 2024
Source: Statistics Iceland (2024).

Metrics, Targets and Monitoring Protocol

What is measured?

Total population in East Iceland (Project effect: induced).

Monitoring Protocol

Information from Statistics Iceland will be collected annually.

Expectations

Here are expectations more relevant than targets

Increase in population in East Iceland

Possible countermeasures

Not applicable, monitoring only.

Changes of indicator

This indicator was originally number 1.1. It was then named Demographics in East Iceland and can be found under that number in the project documents from 2005 and 2006.

The indicator number has been changed twice.

**Table 1.** Changes to name and number of indicator
Year	Nr.	Indicator name
2020	1.1.1	Population
2007	1.11b	Demographics in Eastern Iceland

Since data collection began for this indicator, municipalities have merged, and others have dropped out of calculations for East Iceland. In June 2021, those figures were updated according to new figures from Statistics Iceland, and the indicator was recalculated in its entirety.

Baseline

**Table 2.** Overview of the population in the East and the percentage of the total in Iceland
Population in East Iceland
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
The total population in East Iceland^b	9.946	9.707	9.568	9.408	9.325
Percentage of the total population in Iceland	3.65%	3.52%	3.43%	3.32%	3.25%

Figure 4. Iceland and East Iceland, population development 1998-2002. Index 1998=100

^b: Division into municipalities as of 1st January 2021

Reviewed: June 24, 2021
Source: Statistics Iceland (2021).

Raw data in Excel Sheet.

Rationale for Indicator Selection

The development of the Kárahnjúkar and Fjarðaál projects might lead to changes in the demographic structure of East Iceland and individual communities during the construction and operation phases. Some of these effects will be direct, for instance, the in-migration to East Iceland of employees and their families. Indirect effects include the spin-off effects of the projects in terms of employment opportunities in companies providing goods and services to the projects and opportunities arising from the economic development of the East.

From phase I/II report on indicators and baseline from April 2005