Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland
Iceland: Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation was 10.5 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland, 1995–2025
Source: Eurostat.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland stood at 10.5.
That represents a change of up 23.5% on the previous year and up 38.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland peaked at 13.6 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3, in 2001.
Iceland ranks 46th of 47 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 7.7 | — |
| 1996 | 5.2 | -32.5% |
| 1997 | 5.4 | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 4.6 | -14.8% |
| 1999 | 3.4 | -26.1% |
| 2000 | 3.1 | -8.8% |
| 2001 | 3 | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 4.8 | +60.0% |
| 2003 | 6.6 | +37.5% |
| 2004 | 6.6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4.2 | -36.4% |
| 2006 | 4.9 | +16.7% |
| 2007 | 4 | -18.4% |
| 2008 | 5.4 | +35.0% |
| 2009 | 12.9 | +138.9% |
| 2010 | 13.6 | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 12.5 | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 10.7 | -14.4% |
| 2013 | 9.8 | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 9.1 | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 7.6 | -16.5% |
| 2016 | 5.8 | -23.7% |
| 2017 | 5.5 | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 5.5 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7.3 | +32.7% |
| 2020 | 11.3 | +54.8% |
| 2021 | 12.6 | +11.5% |
| 2022 | 8.3 | -34.1% |
| 2023 | 8 | -3.6% |
| 2024 | 8.5 | +6.2% |
| 2025 | 10.5 | +23.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 10.5 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 212.7, 5% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 10.5 is below the median for high income countries, which is 216.5, 5% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +138.9% | 5.4 | 12.9 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.26 | 3.4 | 7.7 | 5 |
| 2000s | 5.55 | 3 | 12.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.74 | 5.5 | 13.6 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.87 | 8 | 12.6 | 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 unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland?
- Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland was 10.5 in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.6 in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 in 2001.
- How does Iceland rank for unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation?
- Iceland ranks 46th out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.2%. 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 Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).