Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Kuwait

Kuwait: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 6.15 in 2014. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2014)
6.15
Change on year
up 243.2%
World rank
35th
of 78 countries
All-time high
6.15
in 2014
All-time low
0.709
in 1998
Years of data
17
1998–2014

Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Kuwait, 1998–2014

02461998200620141998: 0.7091999: 0.7152000: 0.7712001: 0.782002: 1.12003: 1.32004: 1.72005: 22006: 1.32007: 1.52008: 1.82009: 1.62010: 1.82011: 3.62012: 22013: 1.82014: 6.1

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Kuwait recorded 6.15 for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in 2014. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 243.2% on the previous year and up 267.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Kuwait peaked at 6.15 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.709, in 1998.

Kuwait ranks 35th of 78 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Kuwait, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Kuwait, 1998 to 2014.
Year Value Change
1998 0.709
1999 0.715 +0.8%
2000 0.771 +7.8%
2001 0.78 +1.2%
2002 1.14 +46.4%
2003 1.27 +11.5%
2004 1.67 +31.3%
2005 1.95 +16.8%
2006 1.33 -31.7%
2007 1.49 +11.4%
2008 1.75 +18.0%
2009 1.64 -6.4%
2010 1.82 +10.7%
2011 3.6 +98.1%
2012 1.96 -45.5%
2013 1.79 -8.7%
2014 6.15 +243.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.712 0.709 0.715 2
2000s 1.38 0.771 1.95 10
2010s 3.06 1.79 6.15 5

Countries ranked near Kuwait

  1. 32 Costa Rica 6.34 compare
  2. 33 Denmark 6.32 compare
  3. 34 Belgium 6.18 compare
  4. 36 Italy 6.13 compare
  5. 37 Portugal 6.01 compare
  6. 38 Slovakia 5.84 compare

See the full ranking of 78 places →

More work & labour data for Kuwait

All data for Kuwait →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Kuwait?
Unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Kuwait was 6.15 in 2014, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Kuwait?
The highest recorded value was 6.15 in 2014.
What is the lowest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Kuwait?
The lowest recorded value was 0.709 in 1998.
How does Kuwait rank for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
Kuwait ranks 35th out of 78 countries with data for 2014.
Is unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Kuwait?
Over the last ten years it is up 267.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kuwait data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Kuwait. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/kuwait/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
78 places, 1,367 data points, 1987–2025
Last refreshed

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 International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) database description.