Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in Iceland
Iceland: Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment was 223,448 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in Iceland, 1964–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 223,448 for economic outlook no 114 — total employment in 2025. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 114 — total employment in Iceland peaked at 223,448 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 77,024, in 1964.
Iceland ranks 35th of 35 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 77,024 | — |
| 1965 | 80,424 | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 82,443 | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 82,124 | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 82,868 | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 83,611 | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 86,586 | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 90,942 | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 93,279 | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 95,829 | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 99,122 | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 100,822 | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 104,435 | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 104,753 | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 107,834 | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 108,897 | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 112,509 | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 117,927 | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 121,008 | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 122,070 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 123,877 | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 128,339 | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 132,270 | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 139,919 | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 135,988 | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 133,757 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 133,863 | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 133,863 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 133,863 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 133,570 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 134,645 | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 138,850 | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 138,885 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 138,884 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 144,636 | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 149,945 | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 152,895 | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 155,516 | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 153,250 | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 153,450 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 153,400 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 158,625 | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 165,400 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 172,450 | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 173,675 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 162,825 | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 162,275 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 163,025 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 165,275 | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 170,875 | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 173,475 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 180,325 | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 187,825 | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 189,700 | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 193,150 | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 194,975 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 189,175 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 195,925 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 209,425 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 218,599 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 221,228 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 223,448 | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 81,416 | 77,024 | 83,611 | 6 |
| 1970s | 99,250 | 86,586 | 108,897 | 10 |
| 1980s | 126,766 | 112,509 | 139,919 | 10 |
| 1990s | 138,100 | 133,570 | 149,945 | 10 |
| 2000s | 160,149 | 152,895 | 173,675 | 10 |
| 2010s | 178,090 | 162,275 | 194,975 | 10 |
| 2020s | 209,633 | 189,175 | 223,448 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 32 Finland 2.66 million compare
- 33 Costa Rica 2.12 million compare
- 34 Luxembourg 297,754 compare
More economy & growth data for Iceland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 17.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2657 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 26,128 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 9.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 34.13 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 3.36 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1585 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 114 — total employment in Iceland?
- Economic outlook no 114 — total employment in Iceland was 223,448 in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 114 — total employment recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 223,448 in 2025.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 114 — total employment recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 77,024 in 1964.
- How does Iceland rank for economic outlook no 114 — total employment?
- Iceland ranks 35th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
- Is economic outlook no 114 — total employment rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment (labour force survey basis). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The OECD Economic Outlook presents the OECD’s analysis of the major global economic trends and prospects for the next two years. The Outlook puts forward a consistent set of projections for output, employment, government spending, prices and current balances based on a review of each member country and of the induced effect on each of them on international developments. EO114 Database inventory EO114 Last historical points OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact: eco.outlook@oecd.org