Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil
Brazil: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 7.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil, 1973–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Brazil recorded 7.2% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 14.4% on the previous year and down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil peaked at 16.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1976.
That places Brazil 73rd out of 181 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 6.9% | — |
| 1976 | 1.9% | -72.5% |
| 1977 | 2.8% | +45.0% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 4.2% | +50.7% |
| 1982 | 4.0% | -3.9% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | +15.7% |
| 1984 | 4.3% | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 3.8% | -12.3% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | -29.6% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | +47.9% |
| 1988 | 4.3% | +7.7% |
| 1989 | 5.4% | +25.9% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 8.9% | +60.3% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | -17.9% |
| 1995 | 9.0% | +22.9% |
| 1996 | 10.6% | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 12.0% | +13.1% |
| 1998 | 13.6% | +13.0% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 13.7% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 13.6% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 13.2% | -6.6% |
| 2005 | 13.9% | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 12.7% | -8.6% |
| 2007 | 12.4% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 11.2% | -9.9% |
| 2009 | 12.6% | +12.6% |
| 2011 | 10.4% | -17.8% |
| 2012 | 9.2% | -10.9% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 10.3% | +23.9% |
| 2016 | 13.6% | +32.0% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 14.4% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 14.3% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | +13.3% |
| 2021 | 16.4% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 11.5% | -30.0% |
| 2023 | 9.7% | -15.8% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | -13.6% |
| 2025 | 7.2% | -14.4% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 7.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.7%, 93% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 7.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 7.9%, 91% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.4% | 1.9% | 6.9% | 5 |
| 1980s | 4.1% | 2.7% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | 10.2% | 5.6% | 14.6% | 8 |
| 2000s | 13.1% | 11.2% | 14.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 8.3% | 14.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 11.6% | 7.2% | 16.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More work & labour data for Brazil
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7328 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7065 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7581 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.74 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1001 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 215,063 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 17,625 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 82,304 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 81,060 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 163,364 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Brazil was 7.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 16.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1976.
- How does Brazil rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Brazil ranks 73rd out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.