Unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Unemployment rate of males vs females was 12.5 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
12.5
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
21st
of 186 countries
All-time high
13.17
in 2022
All-time low
7.31
in 2010
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan is 12.5, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 49.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan peaked at 13.17 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.31, in 2010.
That places Afghanistan 21st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.46 | — |
| 1992 | 7.45 | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 7.4 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 7.38 | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 7.37 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 7.39 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 7.38 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 7.39 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 7.4 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 7.43 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 7.5 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 7.4 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.38 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 7.33 | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 7.41 | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 7.42 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 7.37 | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 7.39 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 7.32 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 7.31 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 7.32 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 7.36 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 7.38 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 7.34 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 8.38 | +14.2% |
| 2016 | 9.38 | +12.0% |
| 2017 | 10.36 | +10.4% |
| 2018 | 10.19 | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 10.03 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 10.46 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 10.92 | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 13.17 | +20.6% |
| 2023 | 13.08 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 12.78 | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 12.5 | -2.2% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 12.5 is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.2, 3.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 12.5 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8.53, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.4 | 7.37 | 7.46 | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.4 | 7.32 | 7.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.51 | 7.31 | 10.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.15 | 10.46 | 13.17 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 18 North Macedonia 13.1 compare
- 19 Montenegro 12.99 compare
- 20 Tunisia 12.83 compare
- 22 Cape Verde 12.37 compare
- 23 Haiti 12.26 compare
- 24 Armenia 12.08 compare
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan?
- Unemployment rate of males vs females in Afghanistan was 12.5 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate of males vs females recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 13.17 in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate of males vs females recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.31 in 2010.
- How does Afghanistan rank for unemployment rate of males vs females?
- Afghanistan ranks 21st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate of males vs females rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate of males vs females. 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).