Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland
Iceland: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 9.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland, 1991–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland stood at 9.5%.
That represents a change of up 4.5% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland peaked at 16.2% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1999.
Iceland ranks 113th of 160 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.9% | — |
| 1992 | 9.9% | +102.5% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 11.5% | +15.8% |
| 1995 | 12.2% | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 8.7% | -28.7% |
| 1997 | 8.1% | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 7.0% | -13.6% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | -38.8% |
| 2000 | 4.4% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | +15.3% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | +25.4% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | +96.0% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 7.4% | -39.2% |
| 2006 | 8.3% | +12.5% |
| 2007 | 7.0% | -15.4% |
| 2008 | 8.2% | +16.9% |
| 2009 | 15.9% | +93.4% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 14.4% | -11.0% |
| 2012 | 13.5% | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | -21.4% |
| 2014 | 9.8% | -8.0% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 6.5% | -26.2% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | +20.8% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | -22.7% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +43.8% |
| 2020 | 10.0% | +14.8% |
| 2021 | 12.1% | +20.3% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | -28.3% |
| 2023 | 8.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 9.1% | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 9.5% | +4.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 9.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 68% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 9.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.2%, 62% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.5% | 4.3% | 12.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 4.4% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.3% | 6.1% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.7% | 8.7% | 12.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 110 Bangladesh 9.6% compare
- 111 Malta 9.6% compare
- 112 Australia 9.5% compare
- 114 Jamaica 9.1% compare
- 115 Netherlands 8.8% compare
- 116 Afghanistan 8.8% compare
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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Iceland was 9.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1999.
- How does Iceland rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Iceland ranks 113th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.