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 16.3% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
16.3%
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
5th
of 43 countries
All-time high
18.2%
in 2012
All-time low
10.5%
in 2020
Years of data
23
2001–2023
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland, 2001–2023
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 16.3%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland peaked at 18.2% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 2020.
Iceland ranks 5th of 43 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 11.3% | — |
| 2002 | 12.5% | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 13.7% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 15.2% | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 14.5% | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 14.9% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 15.0% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 13.9% | -7.3% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 17.0% | +26.5% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | +6.9% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | -15.5% |
| 2014 | 12.8% | -16.7% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 14.1% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | -10.1% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 12.4% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 10.5% | -15.4% |
| 2021 | 13.1% | +24.0% |
| 2022 | 15.8% | +21.3% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | +3.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 16.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.6%, 2.1× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 16.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 3.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.9% | 11.3% | 15.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 12.0% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 10.5% | 16.3% | 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 16.3% 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 18.2% in 2012.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 2020.
- How does Iceland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Iceland ranks 5th out of 43 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 up 6.2%. 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release