SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Iceland
Iceland: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) was 4.43 in 2025. ▲ Rising
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Iceland, 2014–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 4.43 for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 24.6% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Iceland peaked at 6.03 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.7, in 2018.
That places Iceland 46th out of 74 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4.9 | — |
| 2015 | 3.98 | -18.7% |
| 2016 | 2.98 | -25.2% |
| 2017 | 2.74 | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 2.7 | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 3.51 | +29.7% |
| 2020 | 5.48 | +56.2% |
| 2021 | 6.03 | +10.1% |
| 2022 | 3.79 | -37.2% |
| 2023 | 3.52 | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 3.56 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 4.43 | +24.6% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 4.43 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.87, 91% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 4.43 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.82, 76% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.47 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 6 |
| 2020s | 4.47 | 3.52 | 6.03 | 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 sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Iceland?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Iceland was 4.43 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.03 in 2021.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7 in 2018.
- How does Iceland rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition)?
- Iceland ranks 46th out of 74 countries with data for 2025.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.