Iceland vs Norway: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
Iceland
4.5%
in 2025
Norway
4.5%
in 2025
Iceland rank
114th
Norway rank
114th
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- Iceland
- Norway
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 4.5% against 4.5% in Norway, a difference of 0.0%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Norway ahead.
Iceland ranks 114th and Norway ranks 114th of 187 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 2 and Norway in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Norway | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.7% | 5.1% | 1.4% | Norway |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 3.6% | 0.3% | Norway |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 3.7% | 0.9% | Iceland |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 0.5% | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), Iceland or Norway?
- Iceland, at 4.5% against 4.5% in Norway as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between Iceland and Norway?
- 0.0%, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Norway?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Iceland and Norway rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Iceland ranks 114th and Norway ranks 114th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.