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Iceland Labor Force Participation

Labor force participation rate  SL.TLF.CACT.ZS

74.93% −0.23pp (-0.3%)
Year 2025 Rank #17 Global Peak 77.86% (2000) Source World Bank

Iceland Labor Force Participation (1990–2025)

Overview

Iceland's labor force participation stood at 74.93% in 2025, a decline of +0.23pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 75.65% by 2026. Iceland ranked 17th globally.

Data & projection

Year Labor Force Participation YoY change Rank
2028* trend 76.40% - -
2027* trend 76.03% - -
2026* trend 75.65% - -
2025 74.93% −0.23pp #17
2024 75.15% +0.41pp #17
2023 74.75% +0.28pp #18
2022 74.47% +1.06pp #20
2021 73.41% −0.14pp #21
2020 73.56% −2.14pp #18
2019 75.70% −0.28pp #17
2018 75.98% −0.91pp #16
2017 76.89% −0.52pp #16
2016 77.42% +0.74pp #13
2015 76.68% +0.71pp #15
2014 75.97% +1.07pp #18
2013 74.90% +0.62pp #19
2012 74.28% +0.09pp #18
2011 74.19% −0.50pp #20
Show all years (1990-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +43.3% GDP growth 6.2% C/A balance 9.1%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Iceland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw labor force participation improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Iceland's labor force participation?

Iceland's labor force participation was 74.93% in 2025. Ranked 17th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest labor force participation in Iceland?

Iceland's labor force participation peaked at 77.86% in 2000.

What was the lowest labor force participation in Iceland?

The lowest labor force participation in Iceland was 72.68% in 1990.

How does Iceland rank in labor force participation?

Iceland ranks 17th globally in labor force participation as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for labor force participation?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected labor force participation of Iceland in 2026?

Iceland's labor force participation is projected to reach 75.65% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the labor force participation of Iceland in 2025?

The labor force participation of Iceland in 2025 was 74.93%. This ranks 17th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Iceland Labor Force Participation. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/iceland/labor-force-participation
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_iceland_labor-force-participation, title = {Iceland Labor Force Participation}, url = {https://historysaid.com/iceland/labor-force-participation}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }