Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 4.6% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 39.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 11.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2025.
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 30th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.9% | — |
| 1992 | 6.4% | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 7.0% | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | +19.4% |
| 1995 | 9.4% | +11.8% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | +6.3% |
| 1997 | 10.7% | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 11.9% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 11.0% | -7.5% |
| 2001 | 10.7% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 10.5% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 10.0% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 9.3% | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 7.6% | -12.7% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +23.3% |
| 2010 | 8.7% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 7.6% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 7.7% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 7.6% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 6.6% | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 7.2% | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -17.1% |
| 2023 | 5.1% | -9.8% |
| 2024 | 4.7% | -7.1% |
| 2025 | 4.6% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.0% | 5.9% | 11.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.5% | 7.4% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 4.6% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 27 Cape Verde 11.9% compare
- 28 French Polynesia 11.7% compare
- 29 Algeria 11.6% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 11.4% compare
- 31 Rwanda 11.4% compare
- 32 New Caledonia 11.2% compare
- 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.0% compare
More education data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0567 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 26.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.105 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 44.41 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 1.45 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 19.8% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 4.6% 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 Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 11.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2025.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 30th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.