Unemployment rate of men vs. women in China
China: Unemployment rate of men vs. women was 5.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in China, 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 China stood at 5.1%.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate of men vs. women in China peaked at 5.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1991.
That places China 87th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.6% | — |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +13.5% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 4.7% | +11.5% |
| 2003 | 5.1% | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 5.0% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 5.1% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 4.9% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 4.8% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 5.5% | +9.6% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -9.0% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | -6.2% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.6% | 3.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 84 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.3% compare
- 85 Brunei Darussalam 5.3% compare
- 86 Guinea 5.3% compare
- 88 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 5.1% compare
- 89 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 5.0% compare
- 90 Slovakia 5.0% compare
More work & labour data for China
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.74 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.0615 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.12 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 275,362 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 319,567 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 326,230 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 645,797 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate of men vs. women in China?
- Unemployment rate of men vs. women in China was 5.1% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1991.
- How does China rank for unemployment rate of men vs. women?
- China ranks 87th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate of men vs. women rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.
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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.