Unemployment rate in Colombia

Colombia: Unemployment rate was 8.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
8.3%
Change on year
down 13.8%
World rank
55th
of 186 countries
All-time high
20.5%
in 2000
All-time low
7.8%
in 1993
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Unemployment rate in Colombia, 1991–2025

051015201991200820251991: 10.1 %1992: 9.4 %1993: 7.8 %1994: 8.2 %1995: 8.7 %1996: 11.8 %1997: 12.1 %1998: 15 %1999: 20.1 %2000: 20.5 %2001: 15 %2002: 14.5 %2003: 13.2 %2004: 13.7 %2005: 11.1 %2006: 11.1 %2007: 11.2 %2008: 11.3 %2009: 12.1 %2010: 11.2 %2011: 10.3 %2012: 10 %2013: 9.2 %2014: 8.8 %2015: 8.6 %2016: 8.9 %2017: 9.1 %2018: 9.4 %2019: 10.3 %2020: 16 %2021: 13.9 %2022: 10.5 %2023: 9.6 %2024: 9.6 %2025: 8.3 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Colombia is 8.3%, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.8% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Colombia peaked at 20.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1993.

Colombia ranks 55th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 11.5% 7.8% 20.1% 9
2000s 13.4% 11.1% 20.5% 10
2010s 9.6% 8.6% 11.2% 10
2020s 11.3% 8.3% 16.0% 6

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 52 Equatorial Guinea 8.3% compare
  2. 53 Estonia 8.3% compare
  3. 54 Iran 8.3% compare
  4. 56 Suriname 7.8% compare
  5. 57 France 7.5% compare
  6. 58 Sudan 7.5% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate in Colombia?
Unemployment rate in Colombia was 8.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 20.5% in 2000.
What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1993.
How does Colombia rank for unemployment rate?
Colombia ranks 55th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Colombia 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.