Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Unemployment rate of men vs. women was 3.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea is 3.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea peaked at 3.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2010.
Papua New Guinea ranks 137th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.7% | — |
| 1992 | 3.5% | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | -8.8% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 3.9% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | +38.5% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +9.7% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | -2.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 3.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.3%, 70% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 3.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.3%, 90% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +38.5% | 2.7% | 3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.6% | 3.1% | 3.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.3% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 134 Dominican Republic 3.2% compare
- 135 Cameroon 3.2% compare
- 136 El Salvador 3.1% compare
- 138 Slovenia 3.0% compare
- 139 Malta 2.9% compare
- 140 Trinidad and Tobago 2.9% compare
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea?
- Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Papua New Guinea was 3.0% 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2010.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for unemployment rate of men vs. women?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 137th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate of men vs. women rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.