Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland
Iceland: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 was 72.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland is 72.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland peaked at 79.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.8%, in 1974.
Iceland ranks 17th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 32.6% | — |
| 1974 | 26.8% | -17.9% |
| 1975 | 38.3% | +42.8% |
| 1976 | 38.2% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 38.1% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 59.2% | +55.5% |
| 1980 | 46.9% | -20.8% |
| 1981 | 59.2% | +26.2% |
| 1982 | 60.1% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 60.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 41.7% | -30.6% |
| 1991 | 72.9% | +74.6% |
| 1992 | 74.2% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 74.5% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 74.9% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 77.4% | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 75.7% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 74.4% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 76.0% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 78.3% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 78.5% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 78.3% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 78.7% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 76.8% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 77.1% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 77.8% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 77.0% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 76.4% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 76.4% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 77.1% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 77.6% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 78.7% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 79.7% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 79.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 78.9% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 77.9% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 77.4% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 75.0% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 69.3% | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 70.7% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 70.5% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 71.3% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 72.0% | +0.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 72.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.3× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 72.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 1.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +74.6% | 41.7% | 72.9% |
| 1979 | +55.5% | 38.1% | 59.2% |
| 1975 | +42.8% | 26.8% | 38.3% |
| 1985 | -30.6% | 60.2% | 41.7% |
| 1981 | +26.2% | 46.9% | 59.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.6% | 32.6% | 32.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 40.1% | 26.8% | 59.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 53.6% | 41.7% | 60.2% | 5 |
| 1990s | 75.4% | 72.9% | 78.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 77.8% | 76.4% | 79.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.0% | 76.4% | 79.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.5% | 69.3% | 75.0% | 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 female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 in Iceland was 72.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 79.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.8% in 1974.
- How does Iceland rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024?
- Iceland ranks 17th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.