Cultural Production in
Present Day
Iceland
Iceland
Iceland ranks 67th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Paraguay, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Memorable people born in present day Iceland include Leif Erikson, Halldór Laxness, and Thorfinn Karlsefni. Memorable people who died in Iceland include Halldór Laxness, Bobby Fischer, and Snorri Sturluson. Iceland has been the birth place of many soccer players, and politicians and the death place of many politicians, and writers.
Iceland is a Nordic island country between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the region's westernmost and most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 36% of the country's roughly 390,000 residents. The official language of the country is Icelandic. Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates, and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions. The interior consists of a volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite being at a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate. Read more on Wikipedia
People
Between 0 and 2003, present day Iceland was the birth place of 225 globally memorable people, including Leif Erikson, Halldór Laxness, and Thorfinn Karlsefni. Additionaly, 55 globally memorable people have passed away in present day Iceland including Halldór Laxness, Bobby Fischer, and Snorri Sturluson.
People Born in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsLeif Erikson
EXPLORER
970 - 1020
HPI: 88.25
Rank: 168
Halldór Laxness
WRITER
1902 - 1998
HPI: 78.54
Rank: 154
Thorfinn Karlsefni
EXPLORER
1000 - 1100
HPI: 76.44
Rank: 157
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
POLITICIAN
1930 - Present
HPI: 76.38
Rank: 193
Snorri Sturluson
WRITER
1179 - 1241
HPI: 76.37
Rank: 84
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
POLITICIAN
1942 - Present
HPI: 72.39
Rank: 11
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
POLITICIAN
1943 - Present
HPI: 71.02
Rank: 10
Ari Thorgilsson
PHILOSOPHER
1067 - 1148
HPI: 70.13
Rank: 135
Halla Margrét Árnadóttir
SINGER
1964 - Present
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 52
Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir
EXPLORER
1000 - 1100
HPI: 69.00
Rank: 174
Björk
MUSICIAN
1965 - Present
HPI: 68.97
Rank: 68
Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
POLITICIAN
1894 - 1972
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 126
Newly Added People Born in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsHalla Tómasdóttir
POLITICIAN
1968 - Present
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 119
Ragnar Jónasson
WRITER
1976 - Present
HPI: 50.30
Rank: 110
Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir
POLITICIAN
1965 - Present
HPI: 48.67
Rank: 121
Kristrún Frostadóttir
ECONOMIST
1988 - Present
HPI: 47.46
Rank: 99
Eyjólfur Sverrisson
SOCCER PLAYER
1968 - Present
HPI: 46.19
Rank: 120
Hólmfríður Karlsdóttir
CELEBRITY
1963 - Present
HPI: 46.00
Rank: 123
Benedikt Erlingsson
ACTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 44.36
Rank: 116
Linda Pétursdóttir
BUSINESSPERSON
1969 - Present
HPI: 43.42
Rank: 117
Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir
ACTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 43.19
Rank: 112
Dagur Sigurðsson
HANDBALL PLAYER
1973 - Present
HPI: 42.41
Rank: 113
Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
SINGER
1969 - Present
HPI: 42.29
Rank: 115
Logi Már Einarsson
ARCHITECT
1964 - Present
HPI: 42.12
Rank: 122
People Deceased in Present Day Iceland
Go to all RankingsHalldór Laxness
WRITER
1902 - 1998
HPI: 78.54
Rank: 37
Bobby Fischer
CHESS PLAYER
1943 - 2008
HPI: 78.36
Rank: 24
Snorri Sturluson
WRITER
1179 - 1241
HPI: 76.37
Rank: 3
Ingólfr Arnarson
EXPLORER
850 - 910
HPI: 73.03
Rank: 12
Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
POLITICIAN
1894 - 1972
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 13
Sveinn Björnsson
POLITICIAN
1881 - 1952
HPI: 67.85
Rank: 2
Egill Skallagrímsson
WRITER
904 - 990
HPI: 66.74
Rank: 17
Halldór Ásgrímsson
POLITICIAN
1947 - 2015
HPI: 66.63
Rank: 45
Bjarni Benediktsson
POLITICIAN
1908 - 1970
HPI: 66.15
Rank: 30
Friðrik Ólafsson
CHESS PLAYER
1935 - 2025
HPI: 65.92
Rank: 1
Gunnar Gunnarsson
WRITER
1889 - 1975
HPI: 65.60
Rank: 22
Jean-Baptiste Charcot
EXPLORER
1867 - 1936
HPI: 62.95
Rank: 26
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day Iceland were soccer players (61), politicians (43), writers (27), singers (19), and handball players (13), while most who died were politicians (25), writers (14), explorers (3), religious figures (3), and chess players (2).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, soccer players have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in present day Iceland, including Eiður Guðjohnsen, Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, and Arnór Guðjohnsen. Whereas, throughout history, soccer players have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day Iceland, including Eiður Guðjohnsen, Ásgeir Sigurvinsson, and Arnór Guðjohnsen.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present day Iceland since 1700.

































