Expenditure on primary education in Iceland
Iceland: Expenditure on primary education was 27.9% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on primary education in Iceland, 1990–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on primary education in Iceland is 27.9%, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Iceland peaked at 60.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 2016.
Iceland ranks 103rd of 149 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60.5% | — |
| 1993 | 29.4% | -51.5% |
| 1994 | 29.6% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 30.6% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 36.4% | +18.7% |
| 2000 | 37.0% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 34.5% | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 36.2% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 34.8% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 35.0% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 34.6% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 34.3% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 33.4% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 32.6% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 32.4% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 33.7% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 28.4% | -15.8% |
| 2013 | 28.6% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 29.0% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 28.6% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 27.9% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.3% | 29.4% | 60.5% | 5 |
| 2000s | 34.7% | 32.6% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.8% | 27.9% | 33.7% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,661 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,167 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,056 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 32,314 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0838 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on primary education in Iceland?
- Expenditure on primary education in Iceland was 27.9% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 60.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 2016.
- How does Iceland rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Iceland ranks 103rd out of 149 countries with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Expenditure on primary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expenditure on primary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.