Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Iran
Iran: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) was 14.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, 1986–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2024, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran stood at 14.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran peaked at 25.5% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1996.
That places Iran 21st out of 181 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 25.5% | — |
| 1991 | 24.4% | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 13.4% | -45.1% |
| 2002 | 22.4% | +67.2% |
| 2004 | 17.8% | -20.5% |
| 2005 | 17.6% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 16.5% | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 17.0% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 20.7% | +21.7% |
| 2011 | 21.1% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 19.8% | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 19.9% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 19.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 19.9% | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 19.0% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 17.5% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 15.7% | -10.7% |
| 2021 | 16.0% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 15.8% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | -5.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 14.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.8%, 1.8× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Iran's 14.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.9%, 1.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +67.2% | 13.4% | 22.4% |
| 1996 | -45.1% | 24.4% | 13.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.5% | 25.5% | 25.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 13.4% | 24.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 16.1% | 22.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 19.8% | 17.5% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.4% | 14.3% | 16.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 44,188 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 40.34 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,874 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 8.53 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.43 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 57,320 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 20,416 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 36.89 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.89 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.574 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran was 14.3% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 25.5% in 1986.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1996.
- How does Iran rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Iran ranks 21st out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran 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.