Unemployment in Romania
Romania: Unemployment was 48.05 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment in Romania, 2007–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Romania recorded 48.05 for unemployment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 51.1% on the previous year and down 87.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment in Romania peaked at 641.66 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 48.05, in 2025.
Romania ranks 53rd of 58 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment in Romania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 641.66 | — |
| 2008 | 435.27 | -32.2% |
| 2009 | 423.99 | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 475.83 | +12.2% |
| 2011 | 449.8 | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 425.88 | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 419.31 | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 431.99 | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 398.08 | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 408.22 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 305.95 | -25.1% |
| 2018 | 71.52 | -76.6% |
| 2019 | 191.35 | +167.6% |
| 2020 | 195.99 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 170.3 | -13.1% |
| 2022 | 140.65 | -17.4% |
| 2023 | 91.67 | -34.8% |
| 2024 | 98.29 | +7.2% |
| 2025 | 48.05 | -51.1% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 48.05 is below the median for high income countries, which is 266.61, 18% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Romania's 48.05 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 266.61, 18% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment in Romania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +167.6% | 71.52 | 191.35 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 500.31 | 423.99 | 641.66 | 3 |
| 2010s | 357.79 | 71.52 | 475.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 124.16 | 48.05 | 195.99 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More work & labour data for Romania
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7777 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7486 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.8063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.18 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1264 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,932 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,465 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,408 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,360 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 10,768 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment in Romania?
- Unemployment in Romania was 48.05 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment recorded in Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 641.66 in 2007.
- What is the lowest unemployment recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.05 in 2025.
- How does Romania rank for unemployment?
- Romania ranks 53rd out of 58 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 87.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Romania data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI) database description.