Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland
Iceland: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category was 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
11th
of 46 countries
All-time high
16.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2017
All-time low
13.85 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2020
Years of data
8
2016–2023
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland, 2016–2023
Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day.
Analysis
The most recent figure for antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland is 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Iceland ranks 11th of 46 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland, year by year
| Year | defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 15.3 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | — |
| 2017 | 16.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +11.0% |
| 2018 | 16.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 16.09 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 13.85 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -13.9% |
| 2021 | 14.1 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 15.69 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -0.7% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is above the median for high income countries, which is 12.57 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 1.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.36 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 16.24 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 15.3 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 16.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 4 |
| 2020s | 14.81 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 13.85 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 15.69 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 8 Colombia 16.31 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 9 Spain 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 10 Burkina Faso 15.61 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 12 Laos 15.33 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 13 Benin 15.33 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 14 South Africa 15.13 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
More reference data data for Iceland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0288 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0708 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0964 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.062 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2576 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland?
- Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Iceland was 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 16.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2017.
- What is the lowest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.85 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2020.
- How does Iceland rank for antibiotic usage by surveillance category?
- Iceland ranks 11th out of 46 countries with data for 2023.
- Is antibiotic usage by surveillance category rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic usage by surveillance category. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total defined daily doses of AWaRe category: Access used per 1000 inhabitants per day. Access antibiotics have activity against a wide range of common pathogens and show lower resistance potential than antibiotics in the other groups.