Unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Unemployment rate for young people was 3.79 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea is 3.79, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea peaked at 5.33 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 3.57, in 2010.
That places Papua New Guinea 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.12 | — |
| 1992 | 4.95 | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 4.73 | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 4.79 | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 4.99 | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 5.15 | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 5.27 | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 5.25 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 5.33 | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 5.29 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 5.08 | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 4.94 | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 4.72 | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 4.54 | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 4.32 | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 4.14 | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 3.96 | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 3.87 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 3.72 | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 3.57 | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 4.53 | +26.8% |
| 2012 | 4.5 | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 4.51 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 4.34 | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 4.27 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.19 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 4.21 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.18 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 4.12 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 4.56 | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 4.33 | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 3.81 | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 3.79 | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 3.78 | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 3.79 | +0.1% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 3.79 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.12, 37% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 3.79 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.96, 42% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +26.8% | 3.57 | 4.53 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.06 | 4.73 | 5.33 | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.46 | 3.72 | 5.29 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.24 | 3.57 | 4.53 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.01 | 3.78 | 4.56 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 168 Japan 3.9 compare
- 169 Mali 3.88 compare
- 170 Kazakhstan 3.81 compare
- 172 Sierra Leone 3.72 compare
- 173 East Timor 3.72 compare
- 174 Senegal 3.62 compare
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea?
- Unemployment rate for young people in Papua New Guinea was 3.79 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.33 in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.57 in 2010.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for unemployment rate for young people?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate for young people rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate for young people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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