Unemployment rate in Mali
Mali: Unemployment rate was 2.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Mali, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Mali stood at 2.8%.
That represents a change of down 3.2% on the previous year and up 101.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Mali peaked at 4.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2003.
Mali ranks 152nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Mali, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.4% | — |
| 1992 | 1.5% | +6.0% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 1.3% | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | -5.7% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | +11.1% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +9.6% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | +8.1% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +103.1% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -40.4% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | +23.5% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 2.8% | -3.2% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 2.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 64% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mali's 2.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 52% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +103.1% | 1.6% | 3.3% |
| 2022 | -40.4% | 4.0% | 2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 4.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More work & labour data for Mali
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3606 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 27,825 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,195 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 40,192 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,162 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 79,354 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Mali?
- Unemployment rate in Mali was 2.8% 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2003.
- How does Mali rank for unemployment rate?
- Mali ranks 152nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 101.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.