Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 11.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Rwanda, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Rwanda stood at 11.4%.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Rwanda peaked at 15.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 2018.
That places Rwanda 31st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.3% | — |
| 1992 | 12.1% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 12.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 12.2% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 11.5% | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 11.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 11.4% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 11.7% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 11.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 11.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 11.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 11.5% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 11.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 11.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 11.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 10.8% | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +33.4% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | -18.1% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -8.3% |
| 2025 | 11.4% | +0.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 11.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 2.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 11.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +33.4% | 11.8% | 15.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 11.4% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 10.8% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.0% | 11.3% | 15.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 28 French Polynesia 11.7% compare
- 29 Algeria 11.6% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 11.4% compare
- 32 New Caledonia 11.2% compare
- 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.0% compare
- 34 Lebanon 11.0% compare
More education data for Rwanda
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34,324 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 795,920 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 305,636 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 299,593 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 901,617 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.01 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.93 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2109 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Rwanda?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Rwanda was 11.4% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 15.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 2018.
- How does Rwanda rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Rwanda ranks 31st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.