Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 11.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
11.7%
Change on year
up 28.1%
World rank
19th
of 181 countries
All-time high
12.1%
in 2012
All-time low
4.3%
in 2004
Years of data
14
1982–2024

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe, 1982–2024

02.557.51012.51982200320241982: 10.81987: 6.51994: 6.81997: 8.71999: 7.32004: 4.32011: 4.72012: 12.12014: 4.42019: 7.82021: 9.12022: 9.62023: 9.12024: 11.7

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe is 11.7%, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 28.1% on the previous year and up 168.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe peaked at 12.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2004.

That places Zimbabwe 19th out of 181 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Zimbabwe, 1982 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1982 10.8%
1987 6.5% -39.7%
1994 6.8% +3.9%
1997 8.7% +29.1%
1999 7.3% -16.6%
2004 4.3% -41.4%
2011 4.7% +10.9%
2012 12.1% +155.6%
2014 4.4% -63.9%
2019 7.8% +78.0%
2021 9.1% +17.8%
2022 9.6% +4.6%
2023 9.1% -4.5%
2024 11.7% +28.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 8.7% 6.5% 10.8% 2
1990s 7.6% 6.8% 8.7% 3
2000s 4.3% 4.3% 4.3% 1
2010s 7.2% 4.4% 12.1% 4
2020s 9.9% 9.1% 11.7% 4

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

  1. 16 North Macedonia 12.2% compare
  2. 17 Dominica 11.9% compare
  3. 18 Guam 11.9% compare
  4. 20 Haiti 11.5% compare
  5. 21 Montenegro 10.9% compare
  6. 22 Cape Verde 10.7% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Zimbabwe

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe was 11.7% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Zimbabwe?
The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 2012.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Zimbabwe?
The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2004.
How does Zimbabwe rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
Zimbabwe ranks 19th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
Over the last ten years it is up 168.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Zimbabwe. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/zimbabwe/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male 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, 5,415 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.