Employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland
Iceland: Employment rate, men vs. women was 76.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
76.5%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
27th
of 186 countries
All-time high
81.8%
in 2001
All-time low
72.2%
in 2011
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland stood at 76.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland peaked at 81.8% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 72.2%, in 2011.
Iceland ranks 27th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 77.5% | — |
| 1992 | 76.5% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 74.6% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 74.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 76.8% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 77.1% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 76.6% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 78.7% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 80.0% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 81.2% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 81.8% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 79.1% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 78.0% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 78.5% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 79.8% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 80.9% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 79.3% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 72.6% | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 72.3% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 72.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 73.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 74.3% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 76.1% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 77.4% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 79.4% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 78.8% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 77.9% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 76.7% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 73.2% | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 73.0% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 75.0% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 75.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 76.8% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 76.5% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.9% | 74.5% | 80.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 79.0% | 72.6% | 81.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.8% | 72.2% | 79.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.1% | 73.0% | 76.8% | 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 rate, men vs. women in Iceland?
- Employment rate, men vs. women in Iceland was 76.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 81.8% in 2001.
- What is the lowest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.2% in 2011.
- How does Iceland rank for employment rate, men vs. women?
- Iceland ranks 27th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate, men vs. women rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate, men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the male working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.