Inactivity rate in Iceland

Iceland: Inactivity rate was 40.38 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
40.38
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
24th
of 57 countries
All-time high
42.5
in 2019
All-time low
27.59
in 2005
Years of data
17
2004–2020

Inactivity rate in Iceland, 2004–2020

0102030402004201220202004: 29.12005: 27.62006: 32.42007: 32.12008: 322009: 33.32010: 35.72011: 36.22012: 36.42013: 35.92014: 36.32015: 36.22016: 35.82017: 35.32018: 35.22019: 42.52020: 40.4

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2020, inactivity rate in Iceland stood at 40.38.

The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, inactivity rate in Iceland peaked at 42.5 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 27.59, in 2005.

Iceland ranks 24th of 57 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Inactivity rate in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Iceland, 2004 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2004 29.11
2005 27.59 -5.2%
2006 32.35 +17.3%
2007 32.15 -0.6%
2008 32 -0.5%
2009 33.29 +4.0%
2010 35.73 +7.3%
2011 36.18 +1.2%
2012 36.45 +0.8%
2013 35.93 -1.4%
2014 36.31 +1.0%
2015 36.23 -0.2%
2016 35.78 -1.2%
2017 35.31 -1.3%
2018 35.23 -0.2%
2019 42.5 +20.6%
2020 40.38 -5.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 31.08 27.59 33.29 6
2010s 36.56 35.23 42.5 10
2020s 40.38 40.38 40.38 1

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 21 Norway 41.92 compare
  2. 22 Netherlands 41.12 compare
  3. 23 Czechia 40.62 compare
  4. 25 Spain 39.85 compare
  5. 26 Portugal 39.66 compare
  6. 27 Luxembourg 39.38 compare

See the full ranking of 57 places →

More gender data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is inactivity rate in Iceland?
Inactivity rate in Iceland was 40.38 in 2020, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest inactivity rate recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 42.5 in 2019.
What is the lowest inactivity rate recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 27.59 in 2005.
How does Iceland rank for inactivity rate?
Iceland ranks 24th out of 57 countries with data for 2020.
Is inactivity rate rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Inactivity rate in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/inactivity-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
57 places, 865 data points, 1996–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. This indicator conveys the number of persons of working age outside the labour force (that is, not employed or unemployed) expressed as a percentage of the working-age population. The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI) database description.