Iceland vs North Korea: Unemployment rate
Iceland
3.6%
in 2025
North Korea
3.5%
in 2025
Iceland rank
125th
North Korea rank
127th
Unemployment rate over time
- Iceland
- North Korea
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 3.6% against 3.5% in North Korea, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was North Korea ahead.
Iceland ranks 125th and North Korea ranks 127th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 3 and North Korea in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.9% | 3.2% | 0.8% | Iceland |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 3.6% | 0.3% | North Korea |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 3.5% | 1.2% | Iceland |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.6% | 0.8% | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment rate, Iceland or North Korea?
- Iceland, at 3.6% against 3.5% in North Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment rate between Iceland and North Korea?
- 0.1%, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and North Korea?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Iceland and North Korea rank globally for unemployment rate?
- Iceland ranks 125th and North Korea ranks 127th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Unemployment rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.