Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in South Sudan

South Sudan: Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) was 12.37 in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
12.37
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
25th
of 188 countries
All-time high
14.25
in 2020
All-time low
12.07
in 1997
Years of data
33
1991–2023

Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in South Sudan, 1991–2023

0510151991200720231991: 12.31992: 12.41993: 12.21994: 12.31995: 12.31996: 12.31997: 12.11998: 12.11999: 12.12000: 12.32001: 12.32002: 12.22003: 12.22004: 12.32005: 12.32006: 12.32007: 12.32008: 12.32009: 12.42010: 12.52011: 12.62012: 12.82013: 12.72014: 12.62015: 12.52016: 12.92017: 132018: 12.92019: 12.72020: 14.22021: 13.92022: 12.52023: 12.4

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

South Sudan recorded 12.37 for unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in 2023.

The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in South Sudan peaked at 14.25 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.07, in 1997.

South Sudan ranks 25th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in South Sudan, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) in South Sudan, 1991 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1991 12.33
1992 12.37 +0.3%
1993 12.23 -1.1%
1994 12.33 +0.8%
1995 12.33 +0.1%
1996 12.31 -0.2%
1997 12.07 -2.0%
1998 12.1 +0.2%
1999 12.14 +0.4%
2000 12.31 +1.4%
2001 12.28 -0.3%
2002 12.23 -0.4%
2003 12.23 -0.0%
2004 12.26 +0.2%
2005 12.27 +0.1%
2006 12.27 +0.0%
2007 12.27 -0.0%
2008 12.3 +0.3%
2009 12.44 +1.1%
2010 12.47 +0.3%
2011 12.59 +0.9%
2012 12.8 +1.7%
2013 12.66 -1.1%
2014 12.56 -0.8%
2015 12.46 -0.8%
2016 12.85 +3.1%
2017 12.98 +1.0%
2018 12.85 -1.0%
2019 12.66 -1.5%
2020 14.25 +12.6%
2021 13.95 -2.1%
2022 12.47 -10.6%
2023 12.37 -0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 12.25 12.07 12.37 9
2000s 12.28 12.23 12.44 10
2010s 12.69 12.46 12.98 10
2020s 13.26 12.37 14.25 4

Countries ranked near South Sudan

  1. 22 Afghanistan 13.05 compare
  2. 23 Georgia 12.76 compare
  3. 24 North Macedonia 12.59 compare
  4. 26 Guyana 12.21 compare
  5. 27 Cape Verde 12.15 compare
  6. 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.95 compare

See the full ranking of 276 places →

More work & labour data for South Sudan

All data for South Sudan →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in South Sudan?
Unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in South Sudan was 12.37 in 2023, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in South Sudan?
The highest recorded value was 14.25 in 2020.
What is the lowest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in South Sudan?
The lowest recorded value was 12.07 in 1997.
How does South Sudan rank for unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates)?
South Sudan ranks 25th out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
Is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) rising or falling in South Sudan?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Sudan data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in South Sudan. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-ilo-modelled-estimates-15/south-sudan/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
276 places, 10,188 data points, 1991–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). 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. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.