Unemployment rate in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Unemployment rate was 12.26 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
12.26
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
24th
of 186 countries
All-time high
38.8
in 1996
All-time low
12.26
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in North Macedonia, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in North Macedonia stood at 12.26. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 53.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in North Macedonia peaked at 38.8 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 12.26, in 2025.
That places North Macedonia 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 24.5 | — |
| 1992 | 26.3 | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 27.7 | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 30 | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 35.6 | +18.7% |
| 1996 | 38.8 | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 36 | -7.2% |
| 1998 | 34.5 | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 32.4 | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 32.2 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 30.52 | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 31.94 | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 36.69 | +14.9% |
| 2004 | 37.16 | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 37.32 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 36.39 | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 35.23 | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 33.93 | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 32.35 | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 33.13 | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 31.5 | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 31.1 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 29.02 | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 28.21 | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 26.39 | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 24.31 | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 22.86 | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 21.21 | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 17.41 | -17.9% |
| 2020 | 16.57 | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 15.8 | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 14.48 | -8.4% |
| 2023 | 13.17 | -9.0% |
| 2024 | 12.27 | -6.9% |
| 2025 | 12.26 | -0.1% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 12.26 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.63, 2.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 12.26 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.56, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.76 | 24.5 | 38.8 | 9 |
| 2000s | 34.37 | 30.52 | 37.32 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.52 | 17.41 | 33.13 | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.09 | 12.26 | 16.57 | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
- 21 Afghanistan 13.35 compare
- 22 Armenia 12.87 compare
- 23 South Sudan 12.37 compare
- 25 Georgia 12.1 compare
- 26 Guyana 11.96 compare
- 27 Cape Verde 11.94 compare
More work & labour data for North Macedonia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.24 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.21 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1782 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,405 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 525.79 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 422.57 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 440.42 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 863 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in North Macedonia?
- Unemployment rate in North Macedonia was 12.26 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 38.8 in 1996.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.26 in 2025.
- How does North Macedonia rank for unemployment rate?
- North Macedonia ranks 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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).