Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland
Iceland: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 16.1% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland stood at 16.1%.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland peaked at 16.8% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 2008.
Iceland ranks 31st of 195 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.0% | — |
| 2001 | 14.9% | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | +13.1% |
| 2003 | 16.5% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 16.2% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 15.6% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 15.3% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 10.8% | -29.3% |
| 2009 | 13.4% | +23.6% |
| 2010 | 13.7% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 13.1% | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 13.8% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 14.4% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 14.6% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 15.1% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 15.4% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 15.9% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 15.8% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 16.5% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 16.1% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.2% | 10.8% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 13.1% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.2% | 15.8% | 16.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
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Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Iceland was 16.1% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 16.8% in 2002.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 2008.
- How does Iceland rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Iceland ranks 31st out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.