Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia
Estonia: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 8.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia stood at 8.6%.
That represents a change of up 12.3% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia peaked at 19.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1991.
That places Estonia 44th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.4% | — |
| 1992 | 3.9% | +173.9% |
| 1993 | 6.5% | +66.7% |
| 1994 | 7.2% | +11.9% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | +43.7% |
| 1996 | 10.5% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | -6.4% |
| 1999 | 12.9% | +23.7% |
| 2000 | 15.0% | +16.4% |
| 2001 | 13.0% | -13.2% |
| 2002 | 11.3% | -13.2% |
| 2003 | 12.1% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 11.6% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | -21.3% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -31.8% |
| 2007 | 5.4% | -13.7% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 16.7% | +189.4% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | +15.6% |
| 2011 | 13.1% | -32.2% |
| 2012 | 10.9% | -16.5% |
| 2013 | 9.1% | -16.7% |
| 2014 | 7.9% | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | -17.3% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | +16.4% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -16.1% |
| 2018 | 5.6% | -12.3% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | -25.8% |
| 2020 | 7.1% | +72.8% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 6.1% | -10.6% |
| 2023 | 6.1% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 7.7% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | 8.6% | +12.3% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 8.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.7× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 8.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.8%, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +189.4% | 5.8% | 16.7% |
| 1992 | +173.9% | 1.4% | 3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.3% | 1.4% | 12.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 5.4% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 4.1% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 6.1% | 8.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More education data for Estonia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9,391 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 706 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 27,252 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 25,046 (2012)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 103,245 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 89,246 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.065 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Estonia was 8.6% 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1991.
- How does Estonia rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Estonia ranks 44th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Estonia 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.