Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics stood at 4.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 47.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at 14.0% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2019.
That places Central Europe and the Baltics 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.6% | — |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 11.7% | +14.6% |
| 1994 | 11.6% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 11.0% | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | -5.9% |
| 1997 | 9.4% | -9.4% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | +15.6% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | +14.4% |
| 2001 | 13.5% | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 14.0% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 13.3% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 12.9% | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | -6.7% |
| 2006 | 10.1% | -15.8% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | -22.9% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | -15.5% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | +29.0% |
| 2010 | 9.9% | +16.6% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 8.9% | -11.9% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -12.0% |
| 2016 | 6.5% | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | -18.5% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | -18.6% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | -12.4% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +15.7% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -10.8% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 4.1% | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.4% | 9.2% | 11.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.1% | 6.6% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.6% | 3.8% | 10.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Europe and the Baltics
More education data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 14.8% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.3% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 337,770 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0452 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.52 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Central Europe and the Baltics was 4.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was 14.0% in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2019.
- How does Central Europe and the Baltics rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total 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.