Iceland Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Iceland's industry employment was 18.24% in 2025, ranked 79th globally. This represents a 0.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Iceland's industry employment stood at 18.24% in 2025, a decline of +0.17% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 18.09% by 2026. Iceland ranked 79th globally.
Iceland's industry employment rate has experienced significant fluctuations over the past three and a half decades, spanning from 1991 to 2025. At its peak in 1998, industry employment accounted for 26.63% of the total workforce, while the all-time low in 2018 stood at 16.79%. The country's industry employment rate has been steadily declining since then, reaching 18.24% in 2025. Iceland's current position ranks 79th globally, closely trailing Montenegro, which has a similar industry employment rate of 18.23%. This decline is likely linked to the country's shift towards services and tourism, as well as its growing reliance on renewable energy sources. As the global economy continues to evolve, a significant increase in investment in renewable energy and sustainable industries could potentially alter Iceland's industry employment trajectory, potentially leading to a stabilization or even growth in industry employment in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 17.92% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 18.01% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 18.09% | - | - |
| 2025 | 18.24% | −0.17% | #79 |
| 2024 | 18.41% | +0.17% | #82 |
| 2023 | 18.25% | +0.29% | #80 |
| 2022 | 17.96% | −0.95% | #79 |
| 2021 | 18.91% | +0.96% | #91 |
| 2020 | 17.95% | +0.47% | #79 |
| 2019 | 17.47% | +0.68% | #76 |
| 2018 | 16.79% | −0.69% | #64 |
| 2017 | 17.48% | +0.02% | #75 |
| 2016 | 17.46% | −0.38% | #73 |
| 2015 | 17.84% | −0.59% | #77 |
| 2014 | 18.43% | −0.20% | #80 |
| 2013 | 18.64% | +0.41% | #83 |
| 2012 | 18.22% | −0.33% | #82 |
| 2011 | 18.55% | +0.11% | #82 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Iceland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Iceland's industry employment was 18.24% in 2025. Ranked 79th globally. This represents a 0.9% decrease from the previous year.
Iceland's industry employment peaked at 26.63% in 1998.
The lowest industry employment in Iceland was 16.79% in 2018.
Iceland ranks 79th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Iceland's industry employment is projected to reach 18.09% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Iceland in 2025 was 18.24%. This ranks 79th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_iceland_industry-employment,
title = {Iceland Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/iceland/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}