General government total expenditure (current LCU) in Iceland
Iceland: General government total expenditure (current LCU) was 2.20 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
General government total expenditure in Iceland, 1980–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 2.20 trillion current LCU for general government total expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 118.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, general government total expenditure in Iceland peaked at 2.20 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.58 billion current LCU, in 1980.
That places Iceland 62nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
General government total expenditure (current LCU) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.58 billion current LCU | — |
| 1981 | 9.03 billion current LCU | +61.7% |
| 1982 | 14.45 billion current LCU | +60.0% |
| 1983 | 26.21 billion current LCU | +81.4% |
| 1984 | 31.77 billion current LCU | +21.2% |
| 1985 | 46.21 billion current LCU | +45.4% |
| 1986 | 65.11 billion current LCU | +40.9% |
| 1987 | 78.48 billion current LCU | +20.5% |
| 1988 | 109.48 billion current LCU | +39.5% |
| 1989 | 139.60 billion current LCU | +27.5% |
| 1990 | 161.43 billion current LCU | +15.6% |
| 1991 | 175.67 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 182.69 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 189.81 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 201.07 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 204.48 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 216.99 billion current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 226.07 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 246.62 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 294.93 billion current LCU | +19.6% |
| 2000 | 318.07 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 2001 | 380.43 billion current LCU | +19.6% |
| 2002 | 388.27 billion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 419.01 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 453.05 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 477.63 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 549.59 billion current LCU | +15.1% |
| 2007 | 620.62 billion current LCU | +12.9% |
| 2008 | 1.01 trillion current LCU | +62.4% |
| 2009 | 871.38 billion current LCU | -13.5% |
| 2010 | 820.24 billion current LCU | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 891.96 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2012 | 880.74 billion current LCU | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 905.60 billion current LCU | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 956.12 billion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 1.00 trillion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 1.17 trillion current LCU | +16.1% |
| 2017 | 1.17 trillion current LCU | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.25 trillion current LCU | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 1.32 trillion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 1.50 trillion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 2021 | 1.62 trillion current LCU | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 1.81 trillion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2023 | 1.97 trillion current LCU | +8.5% |
| 2024 | 2.14 trillion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2025 | 2.20 trillion current LCU | +2.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 2.20 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 134.14 billion current LCU, 16.4× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 2.20 trillion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 281.45 billion current LCU, 7.8× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where General government total expenditure (current LCU) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +81.4% | 14.45 billion current LCU | 26.21 billion current LCU |
| 2008 | +62.4% | 620.62 billion current LCU | 1.01 trillion current LCU |
| 1981 | +61.7% | 5.58 billion current LCU | 9.03 billion current LCU |
| 1982 | +60.0% | 9.03 billion current LCU | 14.45 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 52.59 billion current LCU | 5.58 billion current LCU | 139.60 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 209.98 billion current LCU | 161.43 billion current LCU | 294.93 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 548.56 billion current LCU | 318.07 billion current LCU | 1.01 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.04 trillion current LCU | 820.24 billion current LCU | 1.32 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.87 trillion current LCU | 1.50 trillion current LCU | 2.20 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More population data for Iceland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.08 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2688 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 408.78 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4806 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6617 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 3.6 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 13,661 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is general government total expenditure in Iceland?
- General government total expenditure in Iceland was 2.20 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest general government total expenditure recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.20 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest general government total expenditure recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.58 billion current LCU in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for general government total expenditure?
- Iceland ranks 62nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is general government total expenditure rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 118.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of General government total expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release