Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland
Iceland: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 87.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland stood at 87.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland peaked at 90.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 83.5%, in 1991.
That places Iceland 35th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 83.6% | — |
| 1991 | 83.5% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 84.4% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 85.9% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 86.4% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 86.3% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 85.8% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 85.1% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 86.0% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 87.5% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 89.3% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 87.4% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 87.8% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 87.4% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 85.7% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 88.0% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 87.5% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 86.2% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 86.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 88.5% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 89.4% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 89.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 90.6% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 90.3% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 89.8% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 90.4% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 89.3% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 89.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 89.3% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 89.6% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 89.3% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 89.3% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 90.3% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 89.2% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 88.0% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 87.9% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 85.4% | 83.5% | 87.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 87.4% | 85.7% | 89.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.8% | 89.3% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.0% | 87.9% | 90.3% | 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Iceland was 87.9% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 90.6% in 2012.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.5% in 1991.
- How does Iceland rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Iceland ranks 35th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).