SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income
Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 7.87 in 2027. ▼ Falling
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income, 2000–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income stood at 7.87.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income peaked at 11.83 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 7.67, in 2025.
That places Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income 18th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.92 | — |
| 2001 | 9.4 | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 10.26 | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 10.06 | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 10.04 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 9.82 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 9.4 | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 9.24 | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 9.89 | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 11.83 | +19.6% |
| 2010 | 10.4 | -12.0% |
| 2011 | 9.03 | -13.2% |
| 2012 | 8.59 | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 8.81 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 8.84 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 9.06 | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 9.44 | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 9.36 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 9.35 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.05 | +18.1% |
| 2020 | 10.83 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 10.09 | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 8.91 | -11.7% |
| 2023 | 8.19 | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 7.82 | -4.5% |
| 2025 | 7.67 | -2.0% |
| 2026 | 7.75 | +1.0% |
| 2027 | 7.87 | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.89 | 8.92 | 11.83 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.39 | 8.59 | 11.05 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.64 | 7.67 | 10.83 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income
- 15 Yemen 13.47 compare
- 16 Netherlands Antilles 13.03 compare
- 17 Zimbabwe 12.13 compare
- 18 Morocco 11.79 compare
- 19 Algeria 11.71 compare
- 20 Montenegro 11.53 compare
- 21 North Macedonia 11.53 compare
More work & labour data for Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 59,671 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 56.83 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 45,325 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 7.87 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.45 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 86,885 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 34,544 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 52.36 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.02 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.06 % change on previous year (2027)
All data for Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income →
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income was 7.87 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 11.83 in 2009.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.67 in 2025.
- How does Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
- Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income ranks 18th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central and Western Asia: Upper-middle income data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
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.