385K
2021373K
2021■ Sheep ■ People
Certified More Sheep Than People
Highest Sheep Pop.
896K
1978Lowest Sheep Pop.
385K
2021Max sheep per person
4.66
1961Min sheep per person
1.03
2021Summary
The sheep population of Iceland fell from 833,840 in 1961 to 385,194 in 2021 — a 54% decrease over six decades. The flock peaked at 896,192 in 1978. In 2021, there were 1.0 sheep for every person.
Fun Sheep Fact
Iceland's sheep have woolly superpowers that help them survive freezing weather, and they're so common there's almost one sheep per person on the island. You could say Icelanders really know how to raise the baa-r for wool quality!
Sheep Population (1961-2021)
Sheep & People (% of combined)
Year by Year
| Year | Sheep | People | Sheep per person | Persons per sheep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 385,194385K | 372,520373K | 1.03 | 0.97 |
| 2020 | 400,724401K | 366,463366K | 1.09 | 0.91 |
| 2019 | 415,949416K | 360,563361K | 1.15 | 0.87 |
| 2018 | 432,023432K | 352,721353K | 1.22 | 0.82 |
| 2017 | 458,634459K | 343,400343K | 1.34 | 0.75 |
| 2016 | 473,144473K | 335,439335K | 1.41 | 0.71 |
| 2015 | 480,656481K | 330,815331K | 1.45 | 0.69 |
| 2014 | 486,538487K | 327,386327K | 1.49 | 0.67 |
| 2013 | 463,807464K | 323,764324K | 1.43 | 0.70 |
| 2012 | 473,500474K | 320,716321K | 1.48 | 0.68 |
| 2011 | 475,068475K | 319,014319K | 1.49 | 0.67 |
| 2010 | 479,841480K | 318,041318K | 1.51 | 0.66 |
| 2009 | 469,429469K | 318,499318K | 1.47 | 0.68 |
| 2008 | 457,861458K | 317,414317K | 1.44 | 0.69 |
| 2007 | 454,812455K | 311,566312K | 1.46 | 0.69 |
| 2006 | 455,656456K | 303,782304K | 1.50 | 0.67 |
| 2005 | 454,950455K | 296,734297K | 1.53 | 0.65 |
| 2004 | 455,398455K | 292,074292K | 1.56 | 0.64 |
| 2003 | 463,006463K | 289,521290K | 1.60 | 0.63 |
| 2002 | 469,657470K | 287,523288K | 1.63 | 0.61 |
| 2001 | 473,535474K | 284,968285K | 1.66 | 0.60 |
| 2000 | 465,777466K | 281,205281K | 1.66 | 0.60 |
| 1999 | 490,538491K | 277,381277K | 1.77 | 0.57 |
| 1998 | 490,002490K | 274,047274K | 1.79 | 0.56 |
| 1997 | 477,306477K | 271,128271K | 1.76 | 0.57 |
| 1996 | 463,935464K | 268,916269K | 1.73 | 0.58 |
| 1995 | 458,341458K | 267,468267K | 1.71 | 0.58 |
| 1994 | 499,110499K | 266,021266K | 1.88 | 0.53 |
| 1993 | 488,787489K | 263,725264K | 1.85 | 0.54 |
| 1992 | 487,312487K | 261,057261K | 1.87 | 0.54 |
| 1991 | 510,782511K | 257,797258K | 1.98 | 0.50 |
| 1990 | 548,508549K | 254,826255K | 2.15 | 0.46 |
| 1989 | 560,920561K | 252,852253K | 2.22 | 0.45 |
| 1988 | 586,887587K | 249,740250K | 2.35 | 0.43 |
| 1987 | 624,262624K | 245,859246K | 2.54 | 0.39 |
| 1986 | 675,515676K | 243,180243K | 2.78 | 0.36 |
| 1985 | 709,257709K | 241,405241K | 2.94 | 0.34 |
| 1984 | 714,731715K | 239,511240K | 2.98 | 0.34 |
| 1983 | 711,936712K | 236,977237K | 3.00 | 0.33 |
| 1982 | 747,701748K | 233,860234K | 3.20 | 0.31 |
| 1981 | 827,927828K | 230,755231K | 3.59 | 0.28 |
| 1980 | 796,755797K | 228,138228K | 3.49 | 0.29 |
| 1979 | 890,807891K | 225,735226K | 3.95 | 0.25 |
| 1978 | 896,192896K | 223,537224K | 4.01 | 0.25 |
| 1977 | 870,848871K | 221,799222K | 3.93 | 0.25 |
| 1976 | 860,376860K | 220,154220K | 3.91 | 0.26 |
| 1975 | 863,638864K | 217,979218K | 3.96 | 0.25 |
| 1974 | 845,796846K | 215,209215K | 3.93 | 0.25 |
| 1973 | 828,589829K | 212,317212K | 3.90 | 0.26 |
| 1972 | 786,234786K | 209,137209K | 3.76 | 0.27 |
| 1971 | 735,543736K | 206,098206K | 3.57 | 0.28 |
| 1970 | 780,462780K | 204,438204K | 3.82 | 0.26 |
| 1969 | 820,166820K | 203,369203K | 4.03 | 0.25 |
| 1968 | 829,067829K | 201,488201K | 4.11 | 0.24 |
| 1967 | 847,337847K | 198,751199K | 4.26 | 0.23 |
| 1966 | 846,705847K | 195,570196K | 4.33 | 0.23 |
| 1965 | 761,966762K | 192,286192K | 3.96 | 0.25 |
| 1964 | 736,381736K | 188,983189K | 3.90 | 0.26 |
| 1963 | 777,300777K | 185,653186K | 4.19 | 0.24 |
| 1962 | 829,774830K | 182,378182K | 4.55 | 0.22 |
| 1961 | 833,840834K | 179,029179K | 4.66 | 0.21 |
