Home Iceland Employment Unemployment Rate

Iceland Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

3.63% +0.26pp (+7.7%)
Year 2025 Rank #61 Global Peak 7.56% (2010) Source World Bank

Iceland Unemployment Rate (1980–2025)

Overview

Iceland's unemployment rate stood at 3.63% in 2025, a rise of +0.26pp from 2024. The IMF projects 3.93% by 2025. Iceland ranked 61st globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 4.00% - -
2029* IMF 4.00% - -
2028* IMF 3.98% - -
2027* IMF 3.98% - -
2026* IMF 3.97% - -
2025* IMF 3.93% - -
2025 3.63% +0.26pp #61
2024 3.60% +0.23pp #62
2023 3.52% −0.07pp #61
2022 3.79% −2.05pp #61
2021 6.03% −0.24pp #95
2020 5.48% +1.58pp #77
2019 3.51% +0.37pp #51
2018 2.70% −0.60pp #29
2017 2.74% −0.70pp #27
2016 2.98% −1.61pp #31
2015 3.98% −1.53pp #50
2014 4.90% −1.20pp #70
2013 5.38% −1.47pp #80
2012 6.00% −1.95pp #89
2011 7.03% −1.29pp #97
Show all years (1980-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

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 unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Iceland's unemployment rate?

Iceland's unemployment rate was 3.63% in 2025. Ranked 61st globally. This represents a 7.7% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Iceland?

Iceland's unemployment rate peaked at 7.56% in 2010.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Iceland?

The lowest unemployment rate in Iceland was 0.31% in 1980.

How does Iceland rank in unemployment rate?

Iceland ranks 61st globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of Iceland in 2025?

Iceland's unemployment rate is projected to reach 3.93% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of Iceland in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Iceland in 2025 was 3.63%. This ranks 61st in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Iceland Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/iceland/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_iceland_unemployment-rate, title = {Iceland Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/iceland/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }