Unemployment rate in Eritrea
Eritrea: Unemployment rate was 6.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Eritrea, 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 in Eritrea is 6.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Eritrea peaked at 6.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1991.
Eritrea ranks 77th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
More work & labour data for Eritrea
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 80.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 65.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 71.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 68.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 85.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 84.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Eritrea?
- Unemployment rate in Eritrea was 6.0% 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 Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1991.
- How does Eritrea rank for unemployment rate?
- Eritrea ranks 77th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eritrea 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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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.