SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) by country
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all...
Countries reporting
179
Highest
32.28
South Africa
Lowest
0.081
Tajikistan
Median
5.17
Years covered
28
2000–2027
Data points
5,648
What the numbers show
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) is currently reported for 179 countries. The highest value is 32.28 in South Africa; the lowest is 0.081 in Tajikistan.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.17, and the mean is 6.46.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 399.
Over the past decade 62 countries rose and 116 fell. The largest increase was in Cambodia (up 733.3%), and the largest decrease in Tajikistan (down 96.3%).
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 32.28 | 2024 | up 29.7% | flat |
| 2 | Palestine, State of | 28.71 | 2025 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 3 | Botswana | 24.43 | 2024 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 4 | Guadeloupe | 23.8 | 2016 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 5 | French Guiana | 23.2 | 2016 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 6 | Réunion | 22.39 | 2016 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 7 | Namibia | 19.88 | 2018 | down 47.1% | falling |
| 8 | Curaçao | 19.1 | 2020 | up 95.4% | rising |
| 9 | Martinique | 17.6 | 2016 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 10 | Jordan | 16.8 | 2024 | up 41.2% | rising |
| 11 | Iraq | 16.17 | 2021 | up 103.1% | rising |
| 12 | Malawi | 15.41 | 2024 | up 209.5% | volatile |
| 13 | Tunisia | 15.11 | 2023 | down 5.2% | flat |
| 14 | Syrian Arab Republic | 14.9 | 2011 | up 28.1% | flat |
| 15 | Yemen | 13.47 | 2014 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 16 | Netherlands Antilles | 13.03 | 2013 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 17 | Zimbabwe | 12.13 | 2024 | up 154.1% | rising |
| 18 | Morocco | 11.79 | 2022 | up 31.1% | falling |
| 19 | Algeria | 11.71 | 2017 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 20 | Montenegro | 11.53 | 2024 | down 36.1% | falling |
| 21 | North Macedonia | 11.53 | 2025 | down 56.3% | falling |
| 22 | Cape Verde | 11.3 | 2019 | down 16.4% | flat |
| 23 | Kosovo | 10.83 | 2024 | down 69.3% | falling |
| 24 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.73 | 2025 | down 61.2% | falling |
| 25 | Spain | 10.5 | 2025 | down 52.4% | rising |
| 26 | Angola | 10.39 | 2025 | up 8.5% | falling |
| 27 | New Caledonia | 10.15 | 2023 | down 30.4% | falling |
| 28 | Ukraine | 9.83 | 2021 | up 25.2% | flat |
| 29 | Finland | 9.61 | 2025 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 30 | Belize | 9.05 | 2019 | up 10.6% | falling |
| 31 | Bermuda | 9 | 2014 | up 231.6% | rising |
| 32 | Aruba | 8.9 | 2011 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 33 | Chile | 8.89 | 2025 | up 34.7% | falling |
| 34 | Greece | 8.84 | 2025 | down 64.6% | rising |
| 35 | Sweden | 8.74 | 2025 | up 17.6% | rising |
| 36 | Albania | 8.43 | 2024 | down 53.3% | flat |
| 37 | Colombia | 8.43 | 2025 | down 1.7% | falling |
| 38 | Greenland | 8.4 | 2006 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 39 | Türkiye | 8.35 | 2025 | down 19.0% | rising |
| 40 | Panama | 8.31 | 2025 | up 88.7% | falling |
| 41 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 8.3 | 2008 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 42 | Armenia | 8.3 | 2023 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 43 | Georgia | 8.2 | 2025 | down 50.3% | falling |
| 44 | Bahamas | 8.15 | 2024 | down 40.9% | rising |
| 45 | Sao Tome and Principe | 7.96 | 2017 | down 52.2% | falling |
| 46 | Suriname | 7.92 | 2016 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 47 | France | 7.7 | 2025 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 48 | Saint Lucia | 7.66 | 2025 | down 53.7% | falling |
| 49 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 7.63 | 2024 | down 28.5% | falling |
| 50 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 7.53 | 2020 | up 5.8% | falling |
| 51 | Estonia | 7.44 | 2025 | up 16.0% | falling |
| 52 | Argentina | 7.38 | 2025 | up 1.5% | falling |
| 53 | Uruguay | 7.34 | 2025 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 54 | Tuvalu | 7.32 | 2022 | up 32.5% | volatile |
| 55 | Serbia | 7.3 | 2025 | down 58.7% | falling |
| 56 | Burkina Faso | 7.08 | 2025 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 57 | Pakistan | 6.96 | 2025 | up 95.1% | volatile |
| 58 | Latvia | 6.89 | 2025 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 59 | Lithuania | 6.87 | 2025 | down 24.7% | falling |
| 60 | Canada | 6.82 | 2025 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 61 | Guyana | 6.58 | 2024 | down 51.7% | flat |
| 62 | Luxembourg | 6.48 | 2025 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 63 | Costa Rica | 6.34 | 2025 | down 24.6% | rising |
| 64 | Grenada | 6.34 | 2023 | down 73.8% | falling |
| 65 | Denmark | 6.32 | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 6.18 | 2025 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 67 | Italy | 6.13 | 2025 | down 48.4% | flat |
| 68 | Romania | 6.11 | 2025 | down 10.4% | falling |
| 69 | Barbados | 6.03 | 2024 | down 51.0% | falling |
| 70 | Portugal | 6.01 | 2025 | down 51.6% | rising |
| 71 | Egypt | 5.95 | 2024 | down 54.6% | falling |
| 72 | Liberia | 5.93 | 2017 | up 6.8% | flat |
| 73 | Brazil | 5.83 | 2025 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 74 | Austria | 5.78 | 2025 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 75 | Senegal | 5.78 | 2024 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 76 | Azerbaijan | 5.7 | 2022 | up 9.8% | falling |
| 77 | Afghanistan | 5.68 | 2021 | up 235.6% | volatile |
| 78 | Zambia | 5.67 | 2024 | down 52.3% | falling |
| 79 | Puerto Rico | 5.6 | 2025 | down 53.1% | falling |
| 80 | Kenya | 5.58 | 2021 | down 41.8% | falling |
| 81 | Slovakia | 5.42 | 2025 | down 52.9% | falling |
| 82 | Mongolia | 5.41 | 2025 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 83 | Guam | 5.4 | 2016 | down 24.3% | falling |
| 84 | Rwanda | 5.36 | 2025 | up 358.8% | volatile |
| 85 | Fiji | 5.36 | 2024 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 86 | Uzbekistan | 5.29 | 2020 | down 2.0% | volatile |
| 87 | New Zealand | 5.26 | 2025 | down 2.7% | falling |
| 88 | Mauritius | 5.21 | 2024 | down 30.2% | falling |
| 89 | Nicaragua | 5.2 | 2018 | down 16.1% | falling |
| 90 | Dominican Republic | 5.17 | 2025 | down 32.1% | falling |
| 91 | Naoero | 5.06 | 2021 | down 78.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Samoa | 5.05 | 2022 | down 42.3% | volatile |
| 93 | San Marino | 4.92 | 2022 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 94 | Kazakhstan | 4.9 | 2022 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 95 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 4.9 | 2025 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 96 | Brunei Darussalam | 4.87 | 2024 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 97 | Croatia | 4.85 | 2025 | down 70.0% | falling |
| 98 | Honduras | 4.85 | 2025 | down 21.1% | rising |
| 99 | Switzerland | 4.84 | 2025 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 100 | Ireland | 4.64 | 2025 | down 53.1% | volatile |
| 101 | China | 4.57 | 2022 | up 64.6% | rising |
| 102 | Maldives | 4.56 | 2019 | down 61.0% | volatile |
| 103 | Paraguay | 4.53 | 2025 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 104 | India | 4.51 | 2025 | up 39.9% | rising |
| 105 | Mali | 4.5 | 2024 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 106 | Norway | 4.46 | 2025 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 107 | Iceland | 4.43 | 2025 | up 11.4% | rising |
| 108 | Hungary | 4.42 | 2025 | down 35.2% | falling |
| 109 | Cyprus | 4.35 | 2025 | down 71.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Peru | 4.32 | 2025 | up 32.0% | flat |
| 111 | Sri Lanka | 4.32 | 2024 | up 3.8% | falling |
| 112 | United States of America | 4.28 | 2025 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 113 | Cayman Islands | 4.2 | 2015 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 114 | Australia | 4.17 | 2025 | down 31.1% | falling |
| 115 | Faroe Islands | 4.03 | 2013 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 116 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.01 | 2024 | up 61.7% | volatile |
| 117 | Jersey | 4 | 2015 | up 88.2% | rising |
| 118 | Ghana | 3.97 | 2024 | up 82.8% | volatile |
| 119 | Malaysia | 3.9 | 2022 | up 28.5% | rising |
| 120 | Slovenia | 3.88 | 2025 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 121 | Netherlands | 3.85 | 2025 | down 44.0% | rising |
| 122 | Taiwan, China | 3.85 | 2020 | down 26.2% | falling |
| 123 | Germany | 3.82 | 2025 | down 17.1% | falling |
| 124 | Hong Kong, China | 3.65 | 2025 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 125 | Bangladesh | 3.63 | 2024 | down 17.9% | flat |
| 126 | Bulgaria | 3.52 | 2025 | down 61.5% | falling |
| 127 | Kyrgyzstan | 3.5 | 2023 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 128 | Nigeria | 3.45 | 2024 | down 24.3% | falling |
| 129 | Uganda | 3.42 | 2021 | up 287.3% | falling |
| 130 | Bhutan | 3.36 | 2025 | up 37.1% | rising |
| 131 | Indonesia | 3.31 | 2023 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 132 | Oman | 3.3 | 2024 | up 1.0% | volatile |
| 133 | Cameroon | 3.27 | 2021 | down 20.3% | volatile |
| 133 | Cambodia | 3.27 | 2025 | up 733.3% | volatile |
| 135 | Singapore | 3.25 | 2025 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 136 | Saudi Arabia | 3.24 | 2025 | down 42.2% | falling |
| 137 | Ecuador | 3.23 | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 138 | Madagascar | 3.19 | 2022 | up 431.9% | falling |
| 139 | Malta | 3.05 | 2025 | down 43.4% | falling |
| 140 | Belarus | 3.04 | 2024 | up 523.0% | volatile |
| 141 | Jamaica | 3.02 | 2023 | down 68.8% | falling |
| 142 | Poland | 3.02 | 2025 | down 59.6% | volatile |
| 143 | Israel | 3 | 2025 | down 42.0% | falling |
| 144 | El Salvador | 2.92 | 2025 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 145 | Republic of Korea | 2.79 | 2025 | down 21.3% | falling |
| 146 | Kiribati | 2.79 | 2023 | down 70.2% | volatile |
| 147 | Czechia | 2.79 | 2025 | down 44.8% | falling |
| 148 | Isle of Man | 2.67 | 2016 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 149 | Seychelles | 2.58 | 2025 | down 37.8% | falling |
| 150 | Macau, China | 2.54 | 2020 | down 9.2% | volatile |
| 150 | Mexico | 2.54 | 2025 | down 41.0% | falling |
| 152 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 2.52 | 2025 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 153 | Japan | 2.5 | 2025 | down 26.1% | falling |
| 154 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 2.43 | 2024 | up 14.4% | falling |
| 155 | Philippines | 2.41 | 2023 | down 31.1% | volatile |
| 156 | Guatemala | 2.33 | 2025 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 157 | Côte d'Ivoire | 2.31 | 2022 | down 68.0% | volatile |
| 158 | Kuwait | 2.16 | 2016 | up 66.5% | volatile |
| 159 | Russian Federation | 2.13 | 2025 | down 62.0% | falling |
| 160 | Palau | 2.09 | 2023 | up 54.1% | volatile |
| 161 | Liechtenstein | 2.01 | 2007 | up 57.8% | rising |
| 162 | Saint Helena | 1.99 | 2010 | down 84.7% | volatile |
| 163 | Togo | 1.97 | 2022 | down 0.9% | volatile |
| 164 | United Arab Emirates | 1.74 | 2025 | up 6.6% | falling |
| 165 | Cuba | 1.7 | 2018 | up 7.4% | falling |
| 166 | Benin | 1.69 | 2022 | down 36.3% | volatile |
| 167 | Tonga | 1.65 | 2023 | up 56.7% | volatile |
| 168 | Timor-Leste | 1.54 | 2022 | down 62.0% | falling |
| 169 | Viet Nam | 1.53 | 2024 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 170 | Myanmar | 1.48 | 2020 | down 61.8% | volatile |
| 171 | Vanuatu | 1.41 | 2025 | down 74.1% | volatile |
| 172 | Republic of Moldova | 1.28 | 2025 | down 28.2% | volatile |
| 173 | Cook Islands | 1.26 | 2019 | down 84.6% | volatile |
| 174 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 1.21 | 2022 | up 70.8% | rising |
| 175 | Bahrain | 0.895 | 2015 | — | volatile |
| 176 | Thailand | 0.604 | 2025 | up 1.2% | volatile |
| 177 | Niger | 0.403 | 2022 | down 81.5% | volatile |
| 178 | Qatar | 0.103 | 2024 | down 46.6% | volatile |
| 179 | Tajikistan | 0.081 | 2016 | down 96.3% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Southern Africa 31.32
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income 30.63
- Africa: Upper-middle income 24.52
- Arab States: Lower-middle income 18.45
- Arab States: Low income 15.8
- Northern Africa: Upper-middle income 12.98
- CARICOM 11.26
- Arab League 9.7
- Arab States 9.49
- Northern Africa 9.43
- MENA 9.31
- Northern, Southern and Western Europe: Upper-middle income 9.26
- Southern Asia: Upper-middle income 8.5
- Western Asia 8.17
- Latin America and the Caribbean: High income 8.14
- Europe and Central Asia: Upper-middle income 7.97
- Northern Africa: Lower-middle income 7.96
- Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income 7.87
- Eastern Europe: Upper-middle income 7.84
- Southern Europe 7.62
- Asia and the Pacific: Low income 6.98
- Central and Western Asia 6.89
- Caribbean 6.88
- Central Africa 6.85
- Americas: Lower-middle income 6.79
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Lower-middle income 6.79
- World: Upper-middle income excluding China 6.29
- Africa 6.21
- Northern, Southern and Western Europe 6.08
- Northern, Southern and Western Europe: High income 5.98
- European Union 27 5.8
- Sub-Saharan Africa 5.73
- South America 5.71
- European Union 28 5.68
- Northern Europe 5.65
- Europe and Central Asia 5.47
- World: Upper-middle income 5.41
- Western Europe 5.28
- World: Low income 5.26
- Latin America and the Caribbean 5.1
About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.