vinnuafl

Vinnuafl is an Icelandic term used in economic statistics to denote the labor force or workforce. It refers to the portion of the working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking employment within a given country and time period. The concept is used to analyze the availability of labor, measure unemployment, and assess overall economic activity.

Etymology: The word combines vinnu from vinna meaning "to work" and afl meaning "force" or "power," yielding a literal sense of "the force of work."

Usage in Iceland: In Iceland, statistics on vinnuafl are produced by Hagstofa Íslands (Statistics Iceland). Data are typically presented by age, gender, region, and sector. The standard definition tracks people who are employed plus those unemployed who are actively seeking work; those who are not seeking work or who are outside the eligible working-age band are considered outside the labor force. Definitions and age ranges can vary slightly between datasets and over time.

Translation and context: In English-language contexts, vinnuafl is usually translated as "labor force" or "workforce." It is related to, but distinct from, the unemployment rate (the share of the labor force that is unemployed) and the labor-force participation rate (the share of the working-age population in the labor force).