Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Countries reporting
187
Highest
40.0%
Palestine, State of
Lowest
0.2%
Cambodia
Median
5.8%
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
8,211
What the numbers show
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 187 countries. The highest value is 40.0% in Palestine, State of; the lowest is 0.2% in Cambodia.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.8%, and the mean is 8.2%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 173.
Over the past decade 64 countries rose and 123 fell. The largest increase was in Myanmar (up 289.6%), and the largest decrease in Croatia (down 69.7%).
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palestine, State of | 40.0% | 2022 | up 54.2% | volatile |
| 2 | Eswatini | 36.0% | 2025 | up 42.2% | rising |
| 3 | Djibouti | 35.4% | 2025 | down 1.9% | falling |
| 4 | South Africa | 34.0% | 2025 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 5 | Yemen | 30.3% | 2025 | up 1.7% | volatile |
| 6 | Iraq | 30.1% | 2025 | up 35.2% | volatile |
| 7 | Gabon | 28.6% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 8 | Botswana | 27.9% | 2025 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 9 | Syrian Arab Republic | 26.1% | 2025 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 10 | Libya | 25.2% | 2025 | down 2.7% | flat |
| 11 | Afghanistan | 25.0% | 2025 | up 115.7% | rising |
| 12 | Somalia | 24.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | flat |
| 13 | Jordan | 23.3% | 2025 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 14 | Congo | 21.1% | 2025 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 15 | Algeria | 20.6% | 2025 | up 23.3% | falling |
| 16 | Tunisia | 20.4% | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 17 | Lesotho | 18.4% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 18 | Namibia | 18.4% | 2025 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 19 | Haiti | 18.0% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 20 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 16.0% | 2025 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 21 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 15.6% | 2025 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 22 | Egypt | 15.3% | 2025 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 23 | Mauritania | 14.7% | 2025 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 24 | Lebanon | 14.5% | 2023 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 25 | Angola | 14.3% | 2025 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 26 | Montenegro | 14.2% | 2025 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 27 | Sudan | 14.0% | 2022 | down 52.4% | flat |
| 28 | Armenia | 13.8% | 2025 | down 28.4% | rising |
| 29 | South Sudan | 13.6% | 2023 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 30 | Belize | 13.5% | 2025 | up 21.3% | falling |
| 31 | Guyana | 13.4% | 2025 | down 13.1% | flat |
| 32 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13.3% | 2025 | down 56.6% | falling |
| 33 | Rwanda | 12.8% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 34 | French Polynesia | 12.5% | 2025 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 35 | United States Virgin Islands | 12.2% | 2025 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 36 | New Caledonia | 12.1% | 2025 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 37 | Spain | 11.9% | 2025 | down 49.3% | falling |
| 38 | Nepal | 11.8% | 2025 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 39 | Türkiye | 11.6% | 2025 | down 8.0% | rising |
| 40 | Cape Verde | 11.4% | 2025 | down 7.7% | falling |
| 41 | Greece | 11.3% | 2025 | down 60.9% | rising |
| 42 | Albania | 11.2% | 2025 | down 34.7% | falling |
| 43 | Oman | 11.1% | 2025 | down 12.0% | rising |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 11.1% | 2025 | down 56.1% | falling |
| 45 | Suriname | 10.8% | 2025 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 46 | Saint Lucia | 10.7% | 2025 | down 52.9% | falling |
| 47 | Georgia | 10.7% | 2025 | down 24.0% | rising |
| 48 | Morocco | 10.6% | 2025 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 49 | Colombia | 10.5% | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 50 | Panama | 10.4% | 2025 | up 95.7% | rising |
| 51 | Ukraine | 10.2% | 2021 | up 51.4% | rising |
| 52 | Saudi Arabia | 9.7% | 2025 | down 61.9% | rising |
| 53 | Chile | 9.6% | 2025 | up 31.5% | rising |
| 54 | Zimbabwe | 9.4% | 2025 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 55 | Equatorial Guinea | 9.3% | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 56 | Sao Tome and Principe | 9.3% | 2025 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 57 | Bahamas | 9.2% | 2025 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 58 | Finland | 8.9% | 2025 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 59 | Uruguay | 8.7% | 2025 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 60 | Sweden | 8.6% | 2025 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 61 | Argentina | 8.1% | 2025 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 62 | Estonia | 8.0% | 2025 | up 27.0% | falling |
| 63 | Costa Rica | 7.8% | 2025 | down 24.7% | rising |
| 64 | Dominican Republic | 7.7% | 2025 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 65 | Mauritius | 7.6% | 2025 | down 29.2% | falling |
| 66 | France | 7.5% | 2025 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 67 | Serbia | 7.5% | 2025 | down 60.0% | falling |
| 68 | Brazil | 7.3% | 2025 | down 28.9% | rising |
| 69 | Italy | 7.3% | 2025 | down 42.3% | falling |
| 70 | Samoa | 7.3% | 2025 | down 37.5% | rising |
| 71 | Mozambique | 7.2% | 2025 | up 95.6% | volatile |
| 72 | Central African Republic | 7.0% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 73 | Barbados | 7.0% | 2025 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 74 | Pakistan | 6.9% | 2025 | up 12.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Fiji | 6.9% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 76 | Kenya | 6.7% | 2025 | up 129.0% | rising |
| 77 | Eritrea | 6.7% | 2025 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 78 | Uzbekistan | 6.6% | 2025 | up 34.5% | volatile |
| 79 | Canada | 6.6% | 2025 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 80 | Portugal | 6.5% | 2025 | down 48.4% | rising |
| 81 | Sri Lanka | 6.5% | 2025 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 82 | Luxembourg | 6.5% | 2025 | down 10.1% | rising |
| 83 | Channel Islands | 6.5% | 2025 | down 20.5% | flat |
| 84 | Honduras | 6.4% | 2025 | down 28.8% | rising |
| 85 | Lithuania | 6.3% | 2025 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 86 | Azerbaijan | 6.3% | 2025 | up 7.6% | falling |
| 87 | Vanuatu | 6.2% | 2025 | down 0.3% | falling |
| 88 | Zambia | 6.2% | 2025 | up 0.9% | falling |
| 89 | Gambia | 6.1% | 2025 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 90 | Paraguay | 6.1% | 2025 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 91 | Kuwait | 6.0% | 2025 | up 28.7% | volatile |
| 92 | Malawi | 6.0% | 2025 | up 2.6% | flat |
| 93 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 5.8% | 2025 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 94 | Peru | 5.8% | 2025 | up 72.7% | flat |
| 95 | Slovakia | 5.8% | 2025 | down 55.2% | falling |
| 96 | Denmark | 5.7% | 2025 | down 12.4% | falling |
| 97 | Belgium | 5.6% | 2025 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 98 | Romania | 5.6% | 2025 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 99 | Latvia | 5.5% | 2025 | down 36.1% | falling |
| 100 | Kazakhstan | 5.5% | 2025 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 101 | Cyprus | 5.5% | 2025 | down 63.3% | rising |
| 102 | Guam | 5.4% | 2025 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 103 | New Zealand | 5.3% | 2025 | down 10.6% | falling |
| 104 | Brunei Darussalam | 5.3% | 2025 | down 38.8% | flat |
| 105 | Austria | 5.2% | 2025 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 106 | Nicaragua | 5.2% | 2025 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 107 | Croatia | 5.1% | 2025 | down 69.7% | falling |
| 108 | Puerto Rico | 5.1% | 2025 | down 47.9% | falling |
| 109 | Switzerland | 5.0% | 2025 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 110 | Guinea | 5.0% | 2025 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 111 | Ethiopia | 4.5% | 2025 | up 39.4% | rising |
| 112 | Ireland | 4.5% | 2025 | down 49.2% | volatile |
| 113 | Mongolia | 4.5% | 2025 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 114 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 4.4% | 2025 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 115 | Comoros | 4.4% | 2025 | down 4.2% | falling |
| 116 | Hungary | 4.4% | 2025 | down 37.5% | falling |
| 117 | Norway | 4.3% | 2025 | up 8.6% | falling |
| 118 | Jamaica | 4.3% | 2025 | down 62.6% | falling |
| 119 | Burkina Faso | 4.3% | 2025 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 120 | United Arab Emirates | 4.2% | 2025 | down 1.0% | rising |
| 121 | United States of America | 4.2% | 2025 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 122 | Cameroon | 4.1% | 2025 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 123 | India | 4.1% | 2025 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 124 | Ecuador | 4.1% | 2025 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 125 | Bhutan | 4.1% | 2025 | up 25.1% | rising |
| 126 | Netherlands | 4.1% | 2025 | down 43.9% | falling |
| 127 | Maldives | 4.1% | 2025 | down 36.6% | volatile |
| 128 | Australia | 4.0% | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 129 | China | 4.0% | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 130 | Kyrgyzstan | 4.0% | 2025 | down 11.7% | rising |
| 130 | Tajikistan | 4.0% | 2025 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 132 | Nigeria | 3.9% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 133 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3.9% | 2025 | up 32.0% | volatile |
| 134 | Malaysia | 3.9% | 2025 | up 13.8% | flat |
| 135 | Bangladesh | 3.7% | 2025 | down 49.8% | rising |
| 136 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 3.7% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 137 | Bahrain | 3.6% | 2025 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 138 | El Salvador | 3.6% | 2025 | up 2.8% | falling |
| 139 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 3.5% | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 140 | Myanmar | 3.5% | 2025 | up 289.6% | volatile |
| 141 | Germany | 3.4% | 2025 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 142 | Slovenia | 3.4% | 2025 | down 66.1% | falling |
| 143 | Israel | 3.4% | 2025 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 144 | Iceland | 3.4% | 2025 | down 17.3% | flat |
| 145 | Madagascar | 3.3% | 2025 | up 83.9% | falling |
| 146 | Czechia | 3.3% | 2025 | down 45.5% | falling |
| 147 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 3.3% | 2025 | down 12.7% | rising |
| 148 | Uganda | 3.3% | 2025 | up 2.6% | falling |
| 149 | Bulgaria | 3.3% | 2025 | down 60.9% | falling |
| 150 | Guatemala | 3.3% | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 151 | Ghana | 3.2% | 2025 | down 51.0% | falling |
| 152 | Poland | 3.1% | 2025 | down 58.8% | volatile |
| 153 | Senegal | 3.1% | 2025 | down 57.5% | rising |
| 154 | Indonesia | 3.0% | 2025 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 155 | Mali | 3.0% | 2025 | up 126.3% | rising |
| 156 | Singapore | 2.9% | 2025 | down 27.8% | flat |
| 157 | Malta | 2.8% | 2025 | down 47.6% | falling |
| 158 | Mexico | 2.7% | 2025 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 159 | Republic of Korea | 2.7% | 2025 | down 22.7% | rising |
| 160 | Belarus | 2.7% | 2025 | down 37.0% | volatile |
| 161 | Côte d'Ivoire | 2.6% | 2025 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 162 | Tonga | 2.5% | 2025 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 163 | Turkmenistan | 2.5% | 2025 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 164 | Philippines | 2.5% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 165 | Japan | 2.3% | 2025 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 166 | Hong Kong, China | 2.3% | 2025 | down 28.6% | flat |
| 167 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 2.2% | 2025 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 168 | Liberia | 2.2% | 2025 | up 8.3% | falling |
| 169 | Russian Federation | 2.2% | 2025 | down 58.7% | falling |
| 170 | Sierra Leone | 2.1% | 2025 | down 40.6% | falling |
| 171 | Papua New Guinea | 2.1% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 172 | Macau, China | 2.1% | 2025 | up 27.9% | falling |
| 173 | Togo | 2.0% | 2025 | up 20.2% | falling |
| 174 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.9% | 2025 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 175 | Cuba | 1.9% | 2025 | down 26.7% | volatile |
| 176 | Timor-Leste | 1.6% | 2025 | down 46.7% | falling |
| 177 | Solomon Islands | 1.4% | 2025 | up 86.4% | falling |
| 178 | Benin | 1.4% | 2025 | down 20.1% | volatile |
| 179 | Viet Nam | 1.4% | 2025 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 180 | Republic of Moldova | 1.2% | 2025 | down 8.3% | volatile |
| 181 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 0.9% | 2025 | down 53.7% | falling |
| 182 | Thailand | 0.8% | 2025 | up 34.3% | volatile |
| 183 | Burundi | 0.8% | 2025 | down 26.4% | falling |
| 184 | Chad | 0.7% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 185 | Qatar | 0.4% | 2025 | down 54.9% | volatile |
| 186 | Niger | 0.3% | 2025 | down 33.6% | volatile |
| 187 | Cambodia | 0.2% | 2025 | down 49.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Arab World 16.0%
- Chagai 6.5%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 13.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.1%
- Other small states 9.5%
- Caribbean Small States 8.9%
- Small states 8.7%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 8.1%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 8.1%
- Euro area 6.6%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 6.6%
- Latin America & Caribbean 6.5%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 6.4%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 6.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 6.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 6.3%
- European Union 6.2%
- Early-demographic dividend 5.9%
- Europe & Central Asia 5.7%
- IDA blend 5.2%
- OECD members 5.2%
- Upper middle income 5.1%
- Middle income 5.1%
- IBRD only 5.1%
- Low & middle income 5.0%
- IDA & IBRD total 5.0%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 5.0%
- Lower middle income 4.9%
- World 4.9%
- Post-demographic dividend 4.8%
- IDA total 4.7%
- Least developed countries 4.7%
- Pre-demographic dividend 4.7%
- Low income 4.7%
- High income 4.6%
- IDA only 4.5%
- North America 4.5%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 4.4%
- Late-demographic dividend 4.3%
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.