Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland
Iceland: Industry jobs as a share of total employment was 18.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland is 18.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland peaked at 26.6% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 16.8%, in 2018.
Iceland ranks 105th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 25.9% | — |
| 1992 | 24.7% | -4.7% |
| 1993 | 25.1% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 25.9% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 24.9% | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 23.5% | -5.7% |
| 1997 | 24.7% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 26.6% | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 23.1% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 22.9% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 21.7% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 23.4% | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 20.9% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 19.5% | -11.4% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 18.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 17.5% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 17.5% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 17.5% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 17.9% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 18.9% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 18.0% | -5.0% |
| 2023 | 18.2% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 18.2% | -0.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 18.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 92% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 18.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.3%, 78% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.9% | 23.1% | 26.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.8% | 19.5% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 16.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 17.9% | 18.9% | 6 |
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 industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland?
- Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Iceland was 18.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 1998.
- What is the lowest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.8% in 2018.
- How does Iceland rank for industry jobs as a share of total employment?
- Iceland ranks 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is industry jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Industry jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total employment working in the industry sector.