When the numbers of first and second-generation immigrants in Iceland are combined, they represent 10 percent of the population, a proportion higher than ever. January 1, this year, there were 29,192 immigrants residing in Iceland, or 8.9 percent of the population, according to figures published yesterday by Statistics Iceland.
Last year, immigrants represented 8.4 percent of the population, or 27,445. Almost 38 percent of them come from Poland (10,933). The second largest group is from Lithuania (1,480), followed by immigrants from the Philippines (1,456).
Second-generation immigrants are now 3.846, but were 3,534 last year.
An immigrant is a person born abroad with two foreign-born parents and four foreign-born grandparents, whereas a “second-generation immigrant” is born in Iceland and has two immigrant parents.
Two-thirds, or 66.2 percent, of all immigrants live in the capital region.
The West Fjords are where immigrants represent the largest percentage of the population, or 15.4 percent, whereas in Northwest Iceland, only 5.1 percent of the population are immigrants.
