Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment rate of men vs. women was 6.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
6.1%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
68th
of 186 countries
All-time high
9.1%
in 2015
All-time low
4.6%
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium stood at 6.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium peaked at 9.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 1991.
Belgium ranks 68th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.6% | — |
| 1992 | 4.8% | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 6.2% | +28.5% |
| 1994 | 7.7% | +24.8% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 7.4% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 7.6% | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 7.5% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 5.3% | -29.0% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +10.9% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | +19.2% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | -10.7% |
| 2005 | 7.6% | +14.3% |
| 2006 | 7.4% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 6.7% | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | +19.8% |
| 2010 | 8.1% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 7.1% | -12.4% |
| 2012 | 7.7% | +7.7% |
| 2013 | 8.6% | +12.9% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | -11.4% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | -12.0% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 6.6% | +15.7% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 6.1% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 6.1% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.7% | 4.6% | 7.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.7% | 5.3% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 5.7% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.7% | 6.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 65 Greece 6.3% compare
- 66 Luxembourg 6.2% compare
- 67 Costa Rica 6.2% compare
- 69 Barbados 6.1% compare
- 70 Mozambique 6.0% compare
- 71 Austria 5.9% compare
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium?
- Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Belgium was 6.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 9.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 1991.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment rate of men vs. women?
- Belgium ranks 68th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate of men vs. women rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate of men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the male labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.