Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil
Brazil: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 4.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil stood at 4.9%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 11.9% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil peaked at 11.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 2025.
Brazil ranks 94th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.8% | — |
| 1992 | 6.0% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | -12.5% |
| 1994 | 5.6% | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 5.9% | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | +8.6% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | +10.6% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +11.8% |
| 1999 | 8.8% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 8.5% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 7.4% | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | -6.9% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -12.1% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +15.2% |
| 2010 | 6.2% | -11.5% |
| 2011 | 5.5% | -11.0% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | +28.8% |
| 2016 | 10.1% | +39.3% |
| 2017 | 11.2% | +11.2% |
| 2018 | 10.7% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 10.1% | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +17.2% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | -30.0% |
| 2023 | 6.6% | -11.6% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | -15.3% |
| 2025 | 4.9% | -11.9% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 4.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.7%, 87% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 4.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.7%, 87% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.5% | 5.2% | 8.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.8% | 6.1% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.8% | 5.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.8% | 4.9% | 11.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More education data for Brazil
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.02 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.44 million (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.71 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.59 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 21.50 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.11 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1454 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0713 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Brazil was 4.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 11.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 2025.
- How does Brazil rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Brazil ranks 94th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male 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.