New business density in Iceland
Iceland: New business density was 10.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024. ▼ Falling
New business density in Iceland, 2006–2024
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
The most recent figure for new business density in Iceland is 10.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.1% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in Iceland peaked at 17.63 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 7.7 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2010.
That places Iceland 23rd out of 177 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
New business density in Iceland, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 15.93 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2007 | 17.63 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 12.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 12.37 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 7.7 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -37.7% |
| 2011 | 8.06 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 8.35 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 9.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 9.52 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 10.9 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +14.5% |
| 2016 | 12.08 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +10.8% |
| 2017 | 11.35 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 9.83 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -13.4% |
| 2019 | 9.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 10.23 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +11.3% |
| 2021 | 13.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +27.4% |
| 2022 | 12.01 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -7.9% |
| 2023 | 11.81 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 10.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.51 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 12.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 17.63 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4 |
| 2010s | 9.61 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 7.7 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 12.08 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.59 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10.23 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 13.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 20 Singapore 11.59 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 21 South Africa 11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 22 Portugal 11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 24 Bulgaria 10.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 25 Chile 9.09 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 26 Malta 8.47 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
More private sector data for Iceland
- Merchandise trade 46.9% (2025)
- Food imports 11.1% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 71.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 10.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 46.9% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 14.0% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 7.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 18,264 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1858 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new business density in Iceland?
- New business density in Iceland was 10.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 17.63 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2007.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.7 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2010.
- How does Iceland rank for new business density?
- Iceland ranks 23rd out of 177 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.