Iceland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Public sector employment as a share of total employment
Iceland
29.9%
in 2013
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
28.9%
in 2018
Iceland rank
8th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
11th
Public sector employment as a share of total employment over time
- Iceland
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 29.9% against 28.9% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 1.0%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 9 shared years of data; in 2005 it was United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
Iceland ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 11th of 79 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.5% | 31.5% | 1.9% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2010s | 31.3% | 29.1% | 2.1% | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher public sector employment as a share of total employment, Iceland or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Iceland, at 29.9% against 28.9% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2013.
- What is the difference in public sector employment as a share of total employment between Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 1.0%, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2013.
- How do Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Iceland ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 11th of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.