Iceland — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Iceland, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Iceland was 74.93% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 77.86% in 2000. The lowest was 72.68% in 1990 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.09% per year.
Iceland ranks 17 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 9%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Iceland sits above it. It peaked in 2000 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 1 of 49 economies; Moldova (72.29%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 30th of 187 in 1990 → 16th of 187 in 2000 → 21st of 187 in 2010 → 18th of 187 in 2020 → 17th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74.93% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 75.15% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 74.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 74.47% | +1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 73.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 73.56% | -2.1 pp |
| 2019 | 75.7% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 75.98% | -0.9 pp |
| 2017 | 76.89% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 77.42% | +0.7 pp |
| 2015 | 76.68% | +0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 75.97% | +1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 74.9% | +0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 74.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 74.19% | -0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 74.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 74.83% | -1.6 pp |
| 2008 | 76.42% | -0.7 pp |
| 2007 | 77.16% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 76.89% | +1.2 pp |
| 2005 | 75.73% | -0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 76.31% | -0.9 pp |
| 2003 | 77.23% | +0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 76.72% | -1.1 pp |
| 2001 | 77.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 77.86% | +1.6 pp |
| 1999 | 76.27% | +1.3 pp |
| 1998 | 75.01% | +1.5 pp |
| 1997 | 73.53% | -0.9 pp |
| 1996 | 74.38% | -1.3 pp |
| 1995 | 75.67% | +2.5 pp |
| 1994 | 73.18% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 72.92% | -0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 73.25% | +0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 72.74% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 72.68% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Iceland’s Labor participation in 1991?
72.74% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Iceland’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +3.1% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 74.93%; 2024: 75.15%; 2023: 74.75%; 2022: 74.47%; 2021: 73.41%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.