Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Germany
Germany: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Germany, 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 Germany is 3.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.1% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Germany peaked at 11.2% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2023.
Germany ranks 124th of 186 countries 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.3% | — |
| 1992 | 6.3% | +18.9% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | +21.4% |
| 1994 | 8.7% | +13.7% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | -6.5% |
| 1996 | 8.8% | +8.1% |
| 1997 | 9.9% | +11.8% |
| 1998 | 9.8% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -9.5% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | -10.6% |
| 2001 | 7.8% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 9.8% | +15.3% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 11.2% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 10.3% | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | -15.0% |
| 2008 | 7.5% | -14.0% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | -10.6% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | -15.3% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 4.6% | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 4.1% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -12.7% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +10.7% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | +9.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.2% | 5.3% | 9.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 7.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.8% | 3.2% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.1% | 3.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More education data for Germany
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.31 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0396 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.31 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.0396 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.62 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Germany?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Germany was 3.7% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2005.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2023.
- How does Germany rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Germany ranks 124th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.