Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Southern Asia
Southern Asia: Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS was 4.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Southern Asia, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Southern Asia recorded 4.6% for unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Southern Asia peaked at 7.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 2023.
That places Southern Asia 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.8% | — |
| 2001 | 6.9% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 6.9% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 6.9% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 6.8% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 7.0% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | -11.4% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | +18.6% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | -14.1% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -20.7% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | -12.4% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 4.6% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 6.4% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Asia
- 21 Zimbabwe 12.1% compare
- 22 Morocco 11.8% compare
- 23 Algeria 11.7% compare
- 24 Montenegro 11.5% compare
- 25 Rwanda 11.3% compare
- 26 Cabo Verde 11.3% compare
- 27 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.7% compare
More work & labour data for Southern Asia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1.25 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3247 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3261 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1.10 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.28 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 2.49 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1.24 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Southern Asia?
- Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Southern Asia was 4.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls recorded in Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls recorded in Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2023.
- How does Southern Asia rank for unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls?
- Southern Asia ranks 24th out of 39 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls rising or falling in Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern Asia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).