Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait

Kuwait: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 5.8% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
5.8%
Change on year
up 39.4%
World rank
93rd
of 181 countries
All-time high
5.8%
in 2016
All-time low
1.0%
in 1983
Years of data
13
1983–2016

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait, 1983–2016

1234561983199920161983: 11988: 2.62003: 2.52005: 1.82006: 2.92007: 3.12008: 3.72009: 3.42010: 2.82011: 4.92014: 4.92015: 4.22016: 5.8

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait is 5.8%, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.4% on the previous year and up 101.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait peaked at 5.8% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1983.

Kuwait ranks 93rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Kuwait, 1983 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1983 1.0%
1988 2.6% +152.0%
2003 2.5% -2.6%
2005 1.8% -28.1%
2006 2.9% +60.0%
2007 3.1% +6.9%
2008 3.7% +20.2%
2009 3.4% -9.1%
2010 2.8% -17.2%
2011 4.9% +75.3%
2014 4.9% -0.3%
2015 4.2% -14.6%
2016 5.8% +39.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.8% 1.0% 2.6% 2
2000s 2.9% 1.8% 3.7% 6
2010s 4.5% 2.8% 5.8% 5

Countries ranked near Kuwait

  1. 90 Zambia 6.2% compare
  2. 91 Latvia 6.1% compare
  3. 92 Romania 6.0% compare
  4. 94 Lithuania 5.8% compare
  5. 94 Slovakia 5.8% compare
  6. 96 Brunei Darussalam 5.7% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Kuwait

All data for Kuwait →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait?
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Kuwait was 5.8% in 2016, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Kuwait?
The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 2016.
What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Kuwait?
The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1983.
How does Kuwait rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
Kuwait ranks 93rd out of 181 countries with data for 2016.
Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Kuwait?
Over the last ten years it is up 101.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Kuwait 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 Kuwait. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-female-percent-of-female-labor-force-national-estimate/kuwait/

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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.