SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate … previous ICLS13 15+ in Palestine
Palestine: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate … previous ICLS13 15+ was 28.71 in 2025. ▲ Rising
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Palestine, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Palestine is 28.71, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 8.7% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Palestine peaked at 31.44 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.62, in 2000.
That places Palestine 2nd out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate … previous ICLS13 15+ in Palestine, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.62 | — |
| 2001 | 21.49 | +102.3% |
| 2002 | 27.46 | +27.8% |
| 2003 | 23 | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 23.21 | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 20.02 | -13.8% |
| 2006 | 19.01 | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 18.28 | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 22.91 | +25.3% |
| 2009 | 20.45 | -10.7% |
| 2010 | 21.42 | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 17.6 | -17.8% |
| 2012 | 19.2 | +9.1% |
| 2013 | 19.89 | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 20.53 | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 23 | +12.1% |
| 2016 | 23.94 | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 25.68 | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 26.26 | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 25.34 | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 25.89 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 26.39 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 24.42 | -7.5% |
| 2024 | 31.44 | +28.7% |
| 2025 | 28.71 | -8.7% |
Palestine compared with similar countries
- Palestine's 28.71 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.97, 7.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Palestine's 28.71 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.45, 4.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate … previous ICLS13 15+ in Palestine changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +102.3% | 10.62 | 21.49 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.65 | 10.62 | 27.46 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.29 | 17.6 | 26.26 | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.37 | 24.42 | 31.44 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Palestine
- 1 South Africa 32.28 compare
- 3 Botswana 24.43 compare
- 4 Guadeloupe 23.8 compare
- 5 French Guiana 23.2 compare
More work & labour data for Palestine
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0758 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0822 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0689 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.181 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.86 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,293 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,412 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,677 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,805 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,482 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Palestine?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Palestine was 28.71 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Palestine?
- The highest recorded value was 31.44 in 2024.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Palestine?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.62 in 2000.
- How does Palestine rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
- Palestine ranks 2nd out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Palestine?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Palestine 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 — 25 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.