Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Iceland
Iceland: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) was 5.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Iceland, 1997–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 5.7% for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is down 89.1% on the previous year and down 87.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Iceland peaked at 52.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2023.
That places Iceland 74th out of 74 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 | 17.2% | — |
| 1999 | 36.5% | +112.1% |
| 2001 | 36.6% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 41.6% | +13.6% |
| 2005 | 41.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 43.0% | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 44.4% | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 44.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 46.6% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 49.8% | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 52.3% | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 5.7% | -89.1% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 5.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 44.3%, 13% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 5.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 46.5%, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +112.1% | 17.2% | 36.5% |
| 2023 | -89.1% | 52.3% | 5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.9% | 17.2% | 36.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 42.6% | 36.6% | 46.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 46.6% | 46.6% | 1 |
| 2020s | 36.0% | 5.7% | 52.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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 5.7% 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 52.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2023.
- How does Iceland rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
- Iceland ranks 74th out of 74 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 87.7%. 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) - Higher education. 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