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 28.6% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
28.6%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
6th
of 110 countries
All-time high
33.2%
in 2012
All-time low
23.7%
in 1996
Years of data
28
1996–2023
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland, 1996–2023
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 28.6%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Iceland peaked at 33.2% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 23.7%, in 1996.
That places Iceland 6th out of 110 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 23.7% | — |
| 1997 | 25.6% | +8.2% |
| 1998 | 26.8% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 27.6% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 29.6% | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 27.1% | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 28.6% | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 30.1% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 28.2% | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 30.6% | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 30.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 28.3% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 29.2% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 30.3% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 31.9% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 31.8% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 31.0% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 31.8% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 29.0% | -8.9% |
| 2017 | 27.9% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 25.7% | -8.0% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 25.7% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 27.9% | +8.6% |
| 2022 | 29.1% | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 28.6% | -1.7% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 28.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.5%, 1.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 28.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.5%, 1.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.9% | 23.7% | 27.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 29.2% | 27.1% | 30.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.9% | 25.7% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.8% | 25.7% | 29.1% | 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 28.6% 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 33.2% 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 23.7% in 1996.
- How does Iceland rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Iceland ranks 6th out of 110 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 10.0%. 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, 15-64 years old, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release