Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland
Iceland: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 19.4% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
19.4%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
4th
of 49 countries
All-time high
23.6%
in 2003
All-time low
12.7%
in 1998
Years of data
26
1998–2023
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland, 1998–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland is 19.4%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland peaked at 23.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1998.
That places Iceland 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 12.7% | — |
| 1999 | 15.5% | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 19.7% | +26.9% |
| 2001 | 16.0% | -18.7% |
| 2002 | 18.1% | +13.2% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | +30.0% |
| 2004 | 18.3% | -22.4% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 21.8% | +21.0% |
| 2007 | 19.8% | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 17.8% | -10.1% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 18.9% | +9.3% |
| 2011 | 21.4% | +13.4% |
| 2012 | 22.2% | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 21.7% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 23.0% | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 22.7% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | -16.9% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | -16.0% |
| 2018 | 15.8% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 18.0% | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 13.1% | -27.5% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | +34.4% |
| 2022 | 19.5% | +11.0% |
| 2023 | 19.4% | -0.3% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 19.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.7%, 5.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 19.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.7%, 2.5× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.1% | 12.7% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 19.1% | 16.0% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.8% | 15.8% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 13.1% | 19.5% | 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 participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland was 19.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.6% in 2003.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1998.
- How does Iceland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Iceland ranks 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2023.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 55-64 years old, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release