LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia

Zambia: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 40.6 in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
40.6
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
2nd
of 63 countries
All-time high
41.46
in 2017
All-time low
37.27
in 2020
Years of data
8
2017–2024

LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia, 2017–2024

0102030402017202020242017: 41.52018: 39.52019: 41.42020: 37.32021: 38.92022: 41.12023: 39.42024: 40.6

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia is 40.6, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.

Zambia ranks 2nd of 63 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+) in Zambia, 2017 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2017 41.46
2018 39.46 -4.8%
2019 41.42 +5.0%
2020 37.27 -10.0%
2021 38.86 +4.3%
2022 41.08 +5.7%
2023 39.42 -4.0%
2024 40.6 +3.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 40.78 39.46 41.46 3
2020s 39.45 37.27 41.08 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 1 Zimbabwe 42.95 compare
  2. 3 Kosovo 32.38 compare
  3. 4 Rwanda 31.25 compare
  4. 5 Angola 29.12 compare

See the full ranking of 63 places →

More work & labour data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia?
Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia was 40.6 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 41.46 in 2017.
What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 37.27 in 2020.
How does Zambia rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
Zambia ranks 2nd out of 63 countries with data for 2024.
Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu3-combined-rate-of-unemployment-and-potential-labour-force-current-ilo-definition/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
63 places, 634 data points, 2014–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.