Unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste: Unemployment rate for young people was 3.72 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.72
Change on year
up 15.4%
World rank
173rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
13.06
in 2016
All-time low
3.2
in 2023
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste stood at 3.72.
That represents a change of up 15.4% on the previous year and down 56.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste peaked at 13.06 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 3.2, in 2023.
That places Timor-Leste 173rd 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 Timor-Leste, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.54 | — |
| 1992 | 9.5 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 9.46 | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 9.65 | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 9.82 | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 9.94 | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 10.02 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 10.16 | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 10.12 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 10.31 | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 9.98 | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 9.72 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 9.95 | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 10.14 | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 9.99 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 9.95 | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 9.75 | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 9.6 | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 9.3 | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 9.35 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 9.29 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 9.2 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 9.08 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 8.84 | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 8.57 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 13.06 | +52.5% |
| 2017 | 11.49 | -12.0% |
| 2018 | 9.78 | -14.9% |
| 2019 | 7.97 | -18.5% |
| 2020 | 6.79 | -14.8% |
| 2021 | 4.79 | -29.4% |
| 2022 | 3.21 | -33.0% |
| 2023 | 3.2 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 3.22 | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 3.72 | +15.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.8 | 9.46 | 10.16 | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.87 | 9.3 | 10.31 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.66 | 7.97 | 13.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.15 | 3.2 | 6.79 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Timor-Leste
- 170 Kazakhstan 3.81 compare
- 171 Papua New Guinea 3.79 compare
- 172 Sierra Leone 3.72 compare
- 174 Senegal 3.62 compare
- 175 Togo 3.44 compare
- 176 Benin 2.89 compare
More work & labour data for Timor-Leste
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 321 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 67.53 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 667.78 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2027)
- Criminal penalties or civil remedies sexual harassment in employment 0 (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (2023)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 37.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 67.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 40.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste?
- Unemployment rate for young people in Timor-Leste was 3.72 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Timor-Leste?
- The highest recorded value was 13.06 in 2016.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Timor-Leste?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2 in 2023.
- How does Timor-Leste rank for unemployment rate for young people?
- Timor-Leste ranks 173rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate for young people rising or falling in Timor-Leste?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Timor-Leste 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).