Iceland: Children out of school, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Iceland's children out of school, primary rose 19.1% on 2022 (from 503 to 599).

Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2022), the average change was +162.8% and a typical year strayed about 806.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4,116.7% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 27.3% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 25.16 a year. A straight line explains 76% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Iceland had the 32nd highest value of the 37 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Iceland in the 2023 ranking

• Slovenia — 29th of 37: 1,904
• Malta — 30th of 37: 738
• Greece — 31st of 37: 622
• Cyprus — 33rd of 37: 247
• Dominica — 34th of 37: 230
• Antigua and Barbuda — 35th of 37: 132.91

What this measures

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.

Limitations: Due to different data sources for enrollment and population data, the number may not capture the actual number of children not attending in primary school.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 30 values

Children out of school, primary in nearby economies

• Albania — 617 (2024)
• Andorra — 102 (2024)
• Armenia — 1,710 (2024)
• Austria — 5,200 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 152 (2024)
• Belarus — 20,600 (2024)
• Belgium — 13,226 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 2,933 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 14,529 (2024)
• Croatia — 2,642 (2023)
• Cyprus — 247 (2023)

More education data for Iceland

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 32,314 (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 98.22% (2023)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 76.52% (2023)
• Secondary education, pupils — 37,056 (2023)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 108.91% (2023)
• School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.52 (2023)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Iceland's children out of school, primary?

599 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1977?

It is up 117.03% from 276 in 1977 (1.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 599 in 2023 and the lowest 6 in 1996.

How does Iceland rank?

32nd highest of 37 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in children out of school, primary unusual for Iceland?

In 2023, Iceland's children out of school, primary rose 19.1% on 2022 (from 503 to 599). Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2022), the average change was +162.8% and a typical year strayed about 806.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.UNER, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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