SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in MENA
MENA: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 9.31 in 2027. ▼ Falling
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in MENA, 2000–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
MENA recorded 9.31 for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in 2027.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in MENA peaked at 12.47 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 9.16, in 2023.
MENA ranks 11th of 87 groups on this measure, 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 MENA, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.35 | — |
| 2001 | 12.38 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 12.47 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 12.17 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 11.08 | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 11.23 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 10.59 | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 10.12 | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 9.87 | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 9.8 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 10.15 | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 10.84 | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 11.13 | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 10.81 | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 10.82 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 11.02 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 11.04 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 11.19 | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 10.78 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 10.13 | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 10.85 | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 10.38 | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 9.42 | -9.2% |
| 2023 | 9.16 | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 9.5 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | 9.45 | -0.5% |
| 2026 | 9.39 | -0.6% |
| 2027 | 9.31 | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.21 | 9.8 | 12.47 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.79 | 10.13 | 11.19 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.68 | 9.16 | 10.85 | 8 |
Countries ranked near MENA
More work & labour data for MENA
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 230,676 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 185,145 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 44.52 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 2.46 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 23,896 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 40.38 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 63,778 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.49 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 9.31 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in MENA?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in MENA was 9.31 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in MENA?
- The highest recorded value was 12.47 in 2002.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in MENA?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.16 in 2023.
- How does MENA rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
- MENA ranks 11th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in MENA?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this MENA 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.