Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland
Iceland: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 18.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18.5%
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
45th
of 45 countries
All-time high
21.1%
in 2021
All-time low
16.2%
in 2000
Years of data
31
1995–2025
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland, 1995–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
In 2025, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland stood at 18.5%.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland peaked at 21.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2000.
Iceland ranks 45th of 45 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 17.8% | — |
| 1996 | 18.8% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 19.9% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 18.7% | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 16.2% | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 18.6% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 17.5% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 17.3% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 18.1% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 19.7% | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 19.6% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 20.2% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 20.1% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 19.3% | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 17.0% | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 16.2% | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 18.8% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 21.0% | +11.7% |
| 2021 | 21.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 19.9% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 19.3% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 17.9% | -7.3% |
| 2025 | 18.5% | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.5% | 17.3% | 19.9% | 5 |
| 2000s | 17.6% | 16.2% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.4% | 16.2% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.6% | 17.9% | 21.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 42 Sweden 24.3% compare
- 43 Netherlands 23.8% compare
- 43 Netherlands 23.8% 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 persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland?
- Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Iceland was 18.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2000.
- How does Iceland rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
- Iceland ranks 45th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
- Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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