Unemployment rate in Congo
Congo: Unemployment rate was 19.88 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
19.88
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
7th
of 186 countries
All-time high
22.29
in 2020
All-time low
19.3
in 2010
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Congo, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Congo is 19.88, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Congo peaked at 22.29 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.3, in 2010.
Congo ranks 7th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Unemployment rate in Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 19.91 | — |
| 1992 | 19.92 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 19.99 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 20.27 | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 20.23 | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 20.05 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 19.89 | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 19.9 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 20.14 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 19.87 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 19.88 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 19.64 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 19.88 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 19.9 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 19.8 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 19.56 | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 19.91 | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 19.96 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 19.84 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 19.3 | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 19.43 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 19.49 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 19.84 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 19.7 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 20.02 | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 20.3 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 20.74 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 20.84 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 20.49 | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 22.29 | +8.7% |
| 2021 | 22 | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 20.13 | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 19.92 | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 19.89 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 19.88 | -0.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 19.88 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.06, 3.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 19.88 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.45, 3.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.03 | 19.89 | 20.27 | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.82 | 19.56 | 19.96 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.02 | 19.3 | 20.84 | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.68 | 19.88 | 22.29 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More work & labour data for Congo
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6949 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.6877 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.7017 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2906 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.46 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 9,208 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,302 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,131 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,894 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 20,026 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Congo?
- Unemployment rate in Congo was 19.88 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 22.29 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.3 in 2010.
- How does Congo rank for unemployment rate?
- Congo ranks 7th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).