Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Iceland
Iceland: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) was 4.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Iceland, 1997–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2023, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Iceland stood at 4.9%. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is down 90.2% on the previous year and down 88.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Iceland peaked at 50.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 2023.
Iceland ranks 71st of 71 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 27.9% | — |
| 1999 | 32.0% | +14.5% |
| 2001 | 29.0% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 33.3% | +14.9% |
| 2005 | 37.4% | +12.4% |
| 2006 | 38.3% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 39.3% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 39.3% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 40.4% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 40.9% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 50.0% | +22.3% |
| 2022 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | -90.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 4.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 48.0%, 10% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 4.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 50.4%, 10% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -90.2% | 50.0% | 4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.0% | 27.9% | 32.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 36.7% | 29.0% | 40.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 40.9% | 40.9% | 1 |
| 2020s | 35.0% | 4.9% | 50.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 68 Iran, Islamic Republic of 11.3% compare
- 69 Japan 10.0%
- 70 Togo 9.1% compare
More science & technology data for Iceland
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 120.93 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.23 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 475,724 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 4.67 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.4503 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 715.97 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0019 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Iceland?
- Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Iceland was 4.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 50.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 2023.
- How does Iceland rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
- Iceland ranks 71st out of 71 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.0%. 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 Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Government. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release