Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World
World: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World stood at 4.8%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World peaked at 6.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 2025.
That places World 25th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 5.5% | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 5.8% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 5.9% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 6.0% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 6.2% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 6.3% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 6.1% | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 6.3% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 6.2% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 6.0% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | +10.1% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 6.0% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 6.6% | +17.9% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | -8.2% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -13.4% |
| 2023 | 4.8% | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 4.8% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.8% | 5.1% | 6.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 5.6% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 4.8% | 6.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
- 22 Armenia 12.9% compare
- 23 South Sudan 12.4% compare
- 24 North Macedonia 12.3% compare
- 25 Georgia 12.1% compare
- 26 Guyana 12.0% compare
- 27 Cape Verde 11.9% compare
- 28 French Polynesia 11.7% compare
More education data for World
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 651.68 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 780.85 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 34.10 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 65.2% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World was 4.8% 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 6.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 2025.
- How does World rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- World ranks 25th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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
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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.