Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland
Iceland: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 84.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Iceland recorded 84.0% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland peaked at 86.2% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 76.6%, in 1990.
That places Iceland 4th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 76.6% | — |
| 1991 | 76.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 77.7% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 78.2% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 79.0% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 81.8% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 80.3% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 81.2% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 83.3% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 85.8% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 84.7% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 83.7% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 84.0% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 82.1% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 82.5% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 83.3% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 82.6% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 81.7% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 81.1% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 81.7% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 82.5% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 83.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 84.5% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 85.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 86.2% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 85.8% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 84.6% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 84.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 82.2% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 82.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 84.0% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 83.9% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 84.0% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 84.0% | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 84.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 71.9%, 1.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 84.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 71.9%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 79.4% | 76.6% | 83.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.1% | 81.1% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.1% | 81.6% | 86.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.3% | 82.1% | 84.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 1 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 87.3% compare
- 2 Madagascar 84.6% compare
- 3 Solomon Islands 84.3% compare
- 5 Sweden 82.3% compare
- 6 Netherlands 82.2% compare
- 7 Cambodia 82.1% 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, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Iceland was 84.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 86.2% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.6% in 1990.
- How does Iceland rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Iceland ranks 4th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.