Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 9.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe, 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 Zimbabwe is 9.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 72.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe peaked at 10.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2004.
Zimbabwe ranks 42nd of 187 countries on this measure, 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) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.8% | — |
| 1992 | 4.9% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 5.0% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 5.6% | +12.2% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +12.7% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | -7.9% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | -5.3% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 4.6% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +13.1% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 7.4% | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +16.9% |
| 2021 | 9.5% | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 10.1% | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 9.3% | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 9.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 9.3% | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.6% | 4.8% | 6.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.4% | 8.6% | 10.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1767 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 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe was 9.3% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2004.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Zimbabwe ranks 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.