Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland

Iceland: Proportion of total government spending on essential services was 56.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
56.7%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
40th
of 114 countries
All-time high
60.0%
in 2020
All-time low
37.5%
in 2008
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland, 2000–2023

02040602000201120232000: 55.42001: 55.22002: 57.92003: 58.92004: 59.32005: 53.82006: 51.82007: 51.32008: 37.52009: 48.52010: 50.72011: 49.32012: 50.92013: 52.22014: 52.22015: 52.92016: 58.42017: 55.12018: 56.72019: 59.22020: 602021: 602022: 56.42023: 56.7

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland is 56.7%, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland peaked at 60.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 37.5%, in 2008.

Iceland ranks 40th of 114 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of total government spending on essential services (%) in Iceland, 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 55.4%
2001 55.2% -0.3%
2002 57.9% +4.8%
2003 58.9% +1.7%
2004 59.3% +0.7%
2005 53.8% -9.2%
2006 51.8% -3.7%
2007 51.3% -0.9%
2008 37.5% -27.0%
2009 48.5% +29.3%
2010 50.7% +4.7%
2011 49.3% -2.8%
2012 50.9% +3.3%
2013 52.2% +2.5%
2014 52.2% +0.1%
2015 52.9% +1.3%
2016 58.4% +10.3%
2017 55.1% -5.7%
2018 56.7% +2.9%
2019 59.2% +4.4%
2020 60.0% +1.5%
2021 60.0% -0.1%
2022 56.4% -6.0%
2023 56.7% +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 53.0% 37.5% 59.3% 10
2010s 53.8% 49.3% 59.2% 10
2020s 58.3% 56.4% 60.0% 4

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 37 Greece 57.2% compare
  2. 38 Latvia 57.1% compare
  3. 39 Belarus 57.0% compare
  4. 41 Croatia 56.5% compare
  5. 42 Uruguay 55.0% compare
  6. 43 Kazakhstan 54.6% compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More infrastructure data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland?
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland was 56.7% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 60.0% in 2020.
What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 37.5% in 2008.
How does Iceland rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
Iceland ranks 40th out of 114 countries with data for 2023.
Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-total-government-spending-on-essential-services-percent/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of total government spending on essential services (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
125 places, 2,281 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed