Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia
Colombia: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 6.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia is 6.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.0% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia peaked at 17.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 1994.
That places Colombia 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.7% | — |
| 1992 | 6.8% | -11.0% |
| 1993 | 5.4% | -20.4% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 6.9% | +27.5% |
| 1996 | 9.6% | +39.6% |
| 1997 | 10.0% | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 12.7% | +27.7% |
| 1999 | 17.6% | +37.9% |
| 2000 | 17.4% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 12.1% | -30.7% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 10.5% | -12.2% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | -18.4% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 8.9% | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 7.3% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 7.0% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 6.7% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 7.1% | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 7.4% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 8.2% | +10.7% |
| 2020 | 12.8% | +55.3% |
| 2021 | 10.9% | -14.7% |
| 2022 | 8.6% | -20.8% |
| 2023 | 8.0% | -7.9% |
| 2024 | 8.0% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 6.7% | -16.0% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 6.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.7%, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 6.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.7%, 1.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +55.3% | 8.2% | 12.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.1% | 5.4% | 17.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.7% | 8.7% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.6% | 6.7% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.2% | 6.7% | 12.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More education data for Colombia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 190,940 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 234,939 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 963,182 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 937,684 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.85 million (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.14 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.08 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Colombia was 6.7% 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 1994.
- How does Colombia rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Colombia ranks 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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.