Labor force participation rate by age in Iceland
Iceland: Labor force participation rate by age was 82.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
82.2%
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
2nd
of 188 countries
All-time high
83.0%
in 2016
All-time low
58.2%
in 1993
Years of data
35
1990–2024
Labor force participation rate by age in Iceland, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, labor force participation rate by age in Iceland stood at 82.2%.
The figure is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Iceland peaked at 83.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 58.2%, in 1993.
That places Iceland 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate by age in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 59.4% | — |
| 1991 | 59.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 60.5% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 58.2% | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 58.5% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 70.3% | +20.2% |
| 1996 | 65.8% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 65.9% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 72.1% | +9.4% |
| 1999 | 71.8% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 77.4% | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 71.4% | -10.7% |
| 2003 | 80.3% | +12.6% |
| 2004 | 79.3% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 76.1% | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 78.7% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 79.9% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 78.2% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 73.1% | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 73.1% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 75.7% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 78.1% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 78.2% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 80.2% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 83.0% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 82.3% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 78.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 72.9% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 74.6% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 77.9% | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 82.2% | +4.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 82.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 40.6%, 2.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 82.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.1%, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.2% | 58.2% | 72.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.4% | 71.4% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.3% | 73.1% | 83.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.3% | 72.9% | 82.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 1 Netherlands 83.2% compare
- 3 North Korea 78.5% compare
- 4 Madagascar 72.5% compare
- 5 Niger 71.2% compare
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 labor force participation rate by age in Iceland?
- Labor force participation rate by age in Iceland was 82.2% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 83.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.2% in 1993.
- How does Iceland rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- Iceland ranks 2nd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).