Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Eritrea
Eritrea: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 6.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Eritrea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Eritrea is 6.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Eritrea peaked at 6.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1991.
That places Eritrea 78th 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 5.4% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 5.3% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 5.3% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 5.6% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 5.7% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 5.7% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 5.8% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 5.9% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 5.8% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 5.7% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 5.8% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 5.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | +9.7% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 6.0% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 5.9% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 5.9% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 6.0% | +0.5% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 6.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 6.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
More education data for Eritrea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9,725 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 23,881 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 28,835 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 26,792 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 266,829 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 398,090 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.7908 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1168 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Eritrea?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Eritrea was 6.0% 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 Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1991.
- How does Eritrea rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Eritrea ranks 78th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eritrea 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.