Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France
France: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 7.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France, 1971–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France is 7.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France peaked at 11.0% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1971.
That places France 45th out of 181 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.6% | — |
| 1972 | 1.7% | +6.7% |
| 1973 | 1.6% | -6.0% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
| 1975 | 2.9% | +67.2% |
| 1976 | 3.0% | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 3.5% | +15.1% |
| 1978 | 3.8% | +9.9% |
| 1979 | 4.2% | +10.8% |
| 1980 | 4.2% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | +24.9% |
| 1982 | 6.0% | +13.5% |
| 1983 | 6.1% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 7.6% | +25.5% |
| 1985 | 8.5% | +11.1% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 8.6% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 8.2% | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 7.3% | -10.6% |
| 1990 | 7.2% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 7.2% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 8.1% | +12.9% |
| 1993 | 9.6% | +18.8% |
| 1994 | 11.0% | +14.7% |
| 1995 | 10.0% | -9.5% |
| 1996 | 10.6% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 11.0% | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 10.4% | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 10.4% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | -17.6% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | -18.0% |
| 2002 | 7.8% | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 8.1% | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 6.9% | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 8.9% | +28.9% |
| 2010 | 8.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 9.7% | +10.7% |
| 2013 | 10.0% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 10.8% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 10.2% | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 9.0% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 8.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 7.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 7.6% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 7.8% | +3.1% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 7.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.6× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- France's 7.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4%, 1.4× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +67.2% | 1.7% | 2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.7% | 1.6% | 4.2% | 9 |
| 1980s | 7.1% | 4.2% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.5% | 7.2% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.8% | 6.9% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.6% | 8.5% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More work & labour data for France
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3323 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 62,374 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,235 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,191 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,294 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 68,485 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in France was 7.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 11.0% in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1971.
- How does France rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- France ranks 45th out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.