Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland

Iceland: Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation was 10.5 Thousand persons in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
10.5 Thousand persons
Change on year
up 23.5%
World rank
44th
of 45 countries
All-time high
13.6 Thousand persons
in 2010
All-time low
3 Thousand persons
in 2001
Years of data
31
1995–2025

Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland, 1995–2025

2.557.51012.51995201020251995: 7.7 Thousand persons1996: 5.2 Thousand persons1997: 5.4 Thousand persons1998: 4.6 Thousand persons1999: 3.4 Thousand persons2000: 3.1 Thousand persons2001: 3 Thousand persons2002: 4.8 Thousand persons2003: 6.6 Thousand persons2004: 6.6 Thousand persons2005: 4.2 Thousand persons2006: 4.9 Thousand persons2007: 4 Thousand persons2008: 5.4 Thousand persons2009: 12.9 Thousand persons2010: 13.6 Thousand persons2011: 12.5 Thousand persons2012: 10.7 Thousand persons2013: 9.8 Thousand persons2014: 9.1 Thousand persons2015: 7.6 Thousand persons2016: 5.8 Thousand persons2017: 5.5 Thousand persons2018: 5.5 Thousand persons2019: 7.3 Thousand persons2020: 11.3 Thousand persons2021: 12.6 Thousand persons2022: 8.3 Thousand persons2023: 8 Thousand persons2024: 8.5 Thousand persons2025: 10.5 Thousand persons

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.

Analysis

In 2025, unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland stood at 10.5 Thousand persons.

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 Thousand persons in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3 Thousand persons, in 2001.

Iceland ranks 44th 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.

Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland, 1995 to 2025.
Year Thousand persons Change
1995 7.7 Thousand persons
1996 5.2 Thousand persons -32.5%
1997 5.4 Thousand persons +3.8%
1998 4.6 Thousand persons -14.8%
1999 3.4 Thousand persons -26.1%
2000 3.1 Thousand persons -8.8%
2001 3 Thousand persons -3.2%
2002 4.8 Thousand persons +60.0%
2003 6.6 Thousand persons +37.5%
2004 6.6 Thousand persons +0.0%
2005 4.2 Thousand persons -36.4%
2006 4.9 Thousand persons +16.7%
2007 4 Thousand persons -18.4%
2008 5.4 Thousand persons +35.0%
2009 12.9 Thousand persons +138.9%
2010 13.6 Thousand persons +5.4%
2011 12.5 Thousand persons -8.1%
2012 10.7 Thousand persons -14.4%
2013 9.8 Thousand persons -8.4%
2014 9.1 Thousand persons -7.1%
2015 7.6 Thousand persons -16.5%
2016 5.8 Thousand persons -23.7%
2017 5.5 Thousand persons -5.2%
2018 5.5 Thousand persons +0.0%
2019 7.3 Thousand persons +32.7%
2020 11.3 Thousand persons +54.8%
2021 12.6 Thousand persons +11.5%
2022 8.3 Thousand persons -34.1%
2023 8 Thousand persons -3.6%
2024 8.5 Thousand persons +6.2%
2025 10.5 Thousand persons +23.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.26 Thousand persons 3.4 Thousand persons 7.7 Thousand persons 5
2000s 5.55 Thousand persons 3 Thousand persons 12.9 Thousand persons 10
2010s 8.74 Thousand persons 5.5 Thousand persons 13.6 Thousand persons 10
2020s 9.87 Thousand persons 8 Thousand persons 12.6 Thousand persons 6

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 42 Cyprus 23 Thousand persons compare
  2. 43 Luxembourg 22.7 Thousand persons compare
  3. 45 Malta 10.4 Thousand persons compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

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 Thousand persons 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 Thousand persons in 2010.
What is the lowest unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 3 Thousand persons in 2001.
How does Iceland rank for unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation?
Iceland ranks 44th out of 45 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.

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Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-citizenship-and-degree-of-urbanisation/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation
Unit
Thousand persons
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,284 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed