Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland
Iceland: Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) was 8.6% in 2016. ▬ Flat
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland, 1991–2016
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland is 8.6%, measured in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland peaked at 14.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 2010.
That places Iceland 107th out of 113 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.6% | — |
| 1992 | 7.8% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 7.7% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 7.7% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 8.2% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | +22.2% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | -15.7% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 14.5% | +37.3% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -47.6% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | -13.6% |
| 2010 | 5.6% | -14.3% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | +31.5% |
| 2014 | 8.6% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | +1.1% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 8.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 72% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 8.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.8%, 79% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -47.6% | 14.5% | 7.6% |
| 2007 | +37.3% | 10.6% | 14.5% |
| 2013 | +31.5% | 6.4% | 8.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.8% | 7.6% | 8.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.0% | 6.6% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 5.6% | 8.6% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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 income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland?
- Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in Iceland was 8.6% in 2016, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 2010.
- How does Iceland rank for income share of the richest 1% (before tax)?
- Iceland ranks 107th out of 113 countries with data for 2016.
- Is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1% (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 1%. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.