China vs India: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
China
4.6%
in 2022
India
4.5%
in 2025
China rank
111th
India rank
113th
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 4.6% against 4.5% in India, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 10 shared years of data; in 1994 it was India ahead.
China ranks 111th and India ranks 113th of 187 countries.
India has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.0% | 2.1% | 1.1% | India |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 3.3% | 0.4% | India |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 5.1% | 1.2% | India |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 6.4% | 1.3% | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), China or India?
- China, at 4.6% against 4.5% in India as of 2022.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between China and India?
- 0.1%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 10 years are reported by both, from 1994 to 2022.
- How do China and India rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- China ranks 111th and India ranks 113th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.