Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland
Iceland: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 98.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland, 1820–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland is 98.2%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland peaked at 99.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1820.
That places Iceland 43rd out of 190 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.4% | — |
| 1825 | 0.5% | +26.3% |
| 1830 | 0.6% | +29.2% |
| 1835 | 0.8% | +25.8% |
| 1840 | 1.0% | +28.2% |
| 1845 | 1.3% | +27.0% |
| 1850 | 1.6% | +27.6% |
| 1855 | 2.1% | +27.2% |
| 1860 | 2.6% | +26.7% |
| 1865 | 3.3% | +26.8% |
| 1870 | 4.2% | +26.3% |
| 1875 | 5.3% | +26.3% |
| 1880 | 6.6% | +25.8% |
| 1885 | 8.3% | +25.5% |
| 1890 | 10.4% | +24.7% |
| 1895 | 12.9% | +24.2% |
| 1900 | 15.9% | +23.3% |
| 1905 | 19.5% | +22.3% |
| 1910 | 23.6% | +21.2% |
| 1915 | 28.3% | +19.9% |
| 1920 | 33.5% | +18.5% |
| 1925 | 39.2% | +16.9% |
| 1930 | 45.2% | +15.3% |
| 1935 | 51.3% | +13.6% |
| 1940 | 57.4% | +11.9% |
| 1945 | 63.3% | +10.3% |
| 1950 | 68.9% | +8.8% |
| 1955 | 74.0% | +7.4% |
| 1960 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 74.7% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 71.1% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 71.8% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 99.6% | +38.6% |
| 1997 | 99.1% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 98.5% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 98.2% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 98.1% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 98.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 98.1% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 98.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 98.4% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 98.8% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 98.8% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.9% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 99.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.6% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.4% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 98.2% | -0.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 98.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.4%, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 98.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 98.2%, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +38.6% | 71.8% | 99.6% |
| 1830 | +29.2% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| 1840 | +28.2% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| 1850 | +27.6% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| 1845 | +27.0% | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| 1855 | +27.2% | 1.6% | 2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1840s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 2 |
| 1850s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2 |
| 1860s | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 2 |
| 1870s | 4.7% | 4.2% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 1880s | 7.5% | 6.6% | 8.3% | 2 |
| 1890s | 11.6% | 10.4% | 12.9% | 2 |
| 1900s | 17.7% | 15.9% | 19.5% | 2 |
| 1910s | 25.9% | 23.6% | 28.3% | 2 |
| 1920s | 36.3% | 33.5% | 39.2% | 2 |
| 1930s | 48.2% | 45.2% | 51.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 60.4% | 57.4% | 63.3% | 2 |
| 1950s | 71.5% | 68.9% | 74.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 74.0% | 74.0% | 74.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 72.9% | 71.1% | 74.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 71.8% | 71.8% | 71.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 98.9% | 98.2% | 99.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 98.3% | 98.1% | 98.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 98.9% | 98.7% | 99.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.5% | 98.2% | 98.7% | 4 |
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 gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iceland was 98.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 99.6% in 1994.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1820.
- How does Iceland rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Iceland ranks 43rd out of 190 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.