Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of

Iran, Islamic Republic of: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 14.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
14.3%
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
22nd
of 181 countries
All-time high
25.5%
in 1986
All-time low
13.4%
in 1996
Years of data
25
1986–2024

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1986–2024

01020301986200520241986: 25.51991: 24.41996: 13.42002: 22.42004: 17.82005: 17.62006: 16.52007: 16.12008: 16.92009: 172010: 20.72011: 21.12012: 19.82013: 19.92014: 19.82015: 19.52016: 20.82017: 19.92018: 192019: 17.52020: 15.72021: 162022: 15.82023: 152024: 14.3

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2024, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of 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, Islamic Republic of peaked at 25.5% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1996.

That places Iran, Islamic Republic of 22nd 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) in Iran, Islamic Republic of, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1986 to 2024.
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, Islamic Republic of compared with similar countries

  • Iran, Islamic Republic of's 14.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.7%, 1.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Iran, Islamic Republic of'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) in Iran, Islamic Republic of 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.

YearChange FromTo
2002 +67.2% 13.4% 22.4%
1996 -45.1% 24.4% 13.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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, Islamic Republic of

  1. 19 Haiti 17.3% compare
  2. 20 Morocco 17.1% compare
  3. 21 Puerto Rico 15.7% compare
  4. 23 Sudan 14.1% compare
  5. 24 Belize 13.6% compare
  6. 25 Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.3% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Iran, Islamic Republic of

All data for Iran, Islamic Republic of →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of 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, Islamic Republic of?
The highest recorded value was 25.5% in 1986.
What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1996.
How does Iran, Islamic Republic of rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 22nd out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iran, Islamic Republic of 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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Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Iran, Islamic Republic of. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-female-percent-of-female-labor-force-national-estimate/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,402 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.