Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in Iceland
Iceland: Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) was 3,568 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in Iceland, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for teachers in primary education, both sexes in Iceland is 3,568, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in Iceland peaked at 3,568 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,379, in 1975.
That places Iceland 165th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1,383 | — |
| 1972 | 1,431 | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 1,466 | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 1,466 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1,379 | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 1,380 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 3,034 | +119.9% |
| 2012 | 2,960 | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 3,001 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 2,991 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 2,999 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 3,171 | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 3,282 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 3,377 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 3,446 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 3,526 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 3,568 | +1.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 3,568 is below the median for high income countries, which is 17,584, 20% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 3,568 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 31,624, 11% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +119.9% | 1,380 | 3,034 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,418 | 1,379 | 1,466 | 6 |
| 2010s | 3,063 | 2,960 | 3,282 | 7 |
| 2020s | 3,479 | 3,377 | 3,568 | 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 teachers in primary education, both sexes in Iceland?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in Iceland was 3,568 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 3,568 in 2023.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,379 in 1975.
- How does Iceland rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- Iceland ranks 165th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release