SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Germany
Germany: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 3.82 in 2025. ▼ Falling
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Germany, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Germany stood at 3.82.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.7% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Germany peaked at 11.19 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 2.98, in 2023.
Germany ranks 123rd of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.92 | — |
| 2001 | 7.77 | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 8.48 | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 9.78 | +15.3% |
| 2004 | 10.73 | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 11.19 | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 10.28 | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 8.73 | -15.0% |
| 2008 | 7.51 | -14.0% |
| 2009 | 7.88 | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 7.04 | -10.6% |
| 2011 | 5.97 | -15.3% |
| 2012 | 5.37 | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 5.32 | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 4.98 | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 4.61 | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 4.1 | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 3.78 | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 3.38 | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 3.16 | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 3.88 | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 3.54 | -8.8% |
| 2022 | 3.1 | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 2.98 | -3.9% |
| 2024 | 3.36 | +13.0% |
| 2025 | 3.82 | +13.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.03 | 7.51 | 11.19 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.77 | 3.16 | 7.04 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.45 | 2.98 | 3.88 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 120 Slovenia 3.88 compare
- 121 Netherlands 3.85 compare
- 122 Taiwan, China 3.85 compare
- 124 Hong Kong, China 3.65 compare
- 125 Bangladesh 3.63 compare
- 126 Bulgaria 3.52 compare
More work & labour data for Germany
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0549 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0388 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 66,826 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 12,413 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,391 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 35,508 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 70,900 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Germany?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Germany was 3.82 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 11.19 in 2005.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.98 in 2023.
- How does Germany rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
- Germany ranks 123rd out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany 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 — 26 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.