Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland

Iceland: Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total was 58.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
58.2%
Change on year
up 125.6%
World rank
20th
of 44 countries
All-time high
67.6%
in 1999
All-time low
13.5%
in 2006
Years of data
23
1998–2020

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland, 1998–2020

2040601998200920201998: 50.5 Percentage1999: 67.6 Percentage2000: 46.2 Percentage2001: 38.7 Percentage2002: 54.8 Percentage2003: 45 Percentage2004: 53.2 Percentage2005: 24.7 Percentage2006: 13.5 Percentage2007: 14.7 Percentage2008: 42.1 Percentage2009: 55 Percentage2010: 46.8 Percentage2011: 43.2 Percentage2012: 40 Percentage2013: 47.4 Percentage2014: 37.1 Percentage2015: 31.1 Percentage2016: 27.3 Percentage2017: 38.4 Percentage2018: 36 Percentage2019: 25.8 Percentage2020: 58.2 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland is 58.2%, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 125.6% on the previous year and up 24.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland peaked at 67.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 2006.

That places Iceland 20th out of 44 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment - quarterly data in Iceland, 1998 to 2020.
Year Percentage Change
1998 50.5%
1999 67.6% +33.9%
2000 46.2% -31.7%
2001 38.7% -16.2%
2002 54.8% +41.6%
2003 45.0% -17.9%
2004 53.2% +18.2%
2005 24.7% -53.6%
2006 13.5% -45.3%
2007 14.7% +8.9%
2008 42.1% +186.4%
2009 55.0% +30.6%
2010 46.8% -14.9%
2011 43.2% -7.7%
2012 40.0% -7.4%
2013 47.4% +18.5%
2014 37.1% -21.7%
2015 31.1% -16.2%
2016 27.3% -12.2%
2017 38.4% +40.7%
2018 36.0% -6.2%
2019 25.8% -28.3%
2020 58.2% +125.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 59.0% 50.5% 67.6% 2
2000s 38.8% 13.5% 55.0% 10
2010s 37.3% 25.8% 47.4% 10
2020s 58.2% 58.2% 58.2% 1

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 17 Hungary 62.2% compare
  2. 17 Slovenia 62.2% compare
  3. 17 Slovenia 62.2% compare
  4. 21 Belgium 58.0% compare
  5. 22 Poland 57.1% compare
  6. 22 Poland 57.1% compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More work & labour data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland?
Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland was 58.2% in 2020, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 67.6% in 1999.
What is the lowest unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 2006.
How does Iceland rank for unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total?
Iceland ranks 20th out of 44 countries with data for 2020.
Is unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-methods-used-for-seeking-work-percent-of-total-unemployment/iceland/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-methods-used-for-seeking-work-percent-of-total-unemployment/iceland/">Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total in Iceland</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Unemployed persons by methods used for seeking work - % of total unemployment - quarterly data
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
46 places, 991 data points, 1998–2020
Last refreshed