Iceland Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
Iceland's services employment was 78.15% in 2025, ranked 153rd globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Iceland's services employment stood at 78.15% in 2025, a rise of +0.26% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 78.46% by 2026. Iceland ranked 153rd globally.
Iceland's services employment has experienced fluctuations over the past three and a half decades. The country's services employment rate peaked at 79.18 in 2018, a year marked by strong economic growth, particularly in the tourism sector. In contrast, the trough occurred in 1991, when the rate stood at 63.92, a period of economic instability following the 1980s financial crisis. As of 2025, Iceland's services employment rate stands at 78.15, ranking 153 globally. This figure is closely comparable to Switzerland's rate of 78.17, another country known for its service-oriented economy. Ireland, a peer country, has a slightly lower rate of 77.93. The trend in Iceland's services employment rate has generally been upward, but a decline in the tourism sector due to global economic shifts or environmental concerns could potentially alter this trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 78.91% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 78.69% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 78.46% | - | - |
| 2025 | 78.15% | +0.26% | #153 |
| 2024 | 77.89% | −0.09% | #154 |
| 2023 | 77.98% | +0.02% | #155 |
| 2022 | 77.95% | +0.96% | #158 |
| 2021 | 77.00% | −1.01% | #158 |
| 2020 | 78.01% | −0.48% | #162 |
| 2019 | 78.49% | −0.69% | #166 |
| 2018 | 79.18% | +0.42% | #169 |
| 2017 | 78.76% | +0.12% | #168 |
| 2016 | 78.65% | +0.72% | #169 |
| 2015 | 77.92% | +0.89% | #165 |
| 2014 | 77.03% | +0.11% | #161 |
| 2013 | 76.92% | +0.69% | #160 |
| 2012 | 76.23% | +0.27% | #160 |
| 2011 | 75.96% | −0.01% | #164 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Iceland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Iceland's services employment was 78.15% in 2025. Ranked 153rd globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from the previous year.
Iceland's services employment peaked at 79.18% in 2018.
The lowest services employment in Iceland was 63.92% in 1991.
Iceland ranks 153rd globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Iceland's services employment is projected to reach 78.46% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of Iceland in 2025 was 78.15%. This ranks 153rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_iceland_services-employment,
title = {Iceland Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/iceland/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}