Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland
Iceland: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 18.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland is 18.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland peaked at 26.6% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 16.8%, in 2018.
Iceland ranks 105th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 25.9% | — |
| 1992 | 24.7% | -4.7% |
| 1993 | 25.1% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 25.9% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 24.9% | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 23.5% | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 24.7% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 26.6% | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 23.1% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 22.9% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 21.7% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 23.4% | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 20.9% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 19.5% | -11.4% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 18.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 17.5% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 17.5% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 17.5% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 17.9% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 18.9% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 18.0% | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 18.2% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 18.2% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.9% | 23.1% | 26.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.8% | 19.5% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 16.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 17.9% | 18.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More work & labour data for Iceland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4501 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5492 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2312 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 373.77 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 169.5 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 193.08 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 362.58 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Iceland was 18.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 1998.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.8% in 2018.
- How does Iceland rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- Iceland ranks 105th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).