Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 4.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates stood at 4.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 7.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1991.
That places United Arab Emirates 120th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
| 1992 | 2.3% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 2.4% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | +33.7% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +25.7% |
| 2003 | 5.5% | +21.1% |
| 2004 | 6.3% | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | +13.2% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 6.3% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 5.7% | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 6.9% | +74.7% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | +12.3% |
| 2022 | 7.4% | +15.6% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | -41.5% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | -3.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 4.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.3%, 78% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 4.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 15.3%, 27% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +74.7% | 4.0% | 6.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.6% | 2.7% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.0% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 4.2% | 7.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More education data for United Arab Emirates
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,178 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 305 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 119,159 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 125,307 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 894,302 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 586,477 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0534 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in United Arab Emirates was 4.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 120th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.