Unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Unemployment rate was 2.57 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea stood at 2.57.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea peaked at 3.03 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2, in 2010.
Papua New Guinea ranks 162nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.79 | — |
| 1992 | 2.61 | -6.6% |
| 1993 | 2.38 | -8.7% |
| 1994 | 2.42 | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 2.6 | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 2.73 | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 2.85 | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 2.86 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 2.94 | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 2.92 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 2.8 | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 2.76 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 2.63 | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 2.53 | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 2.38 | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 2.29 | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 2.17 | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 2.17 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.09 | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 2 | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 2.62 | +30.9% |
| 2012 | 2.63 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.7 | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 2.54 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 2.51 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 2.48 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 2.58 | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 2.65 | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 2.65 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.9 | +9.5% |
| 2021 | 3.03 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 2.69 | -11.3% |
| 2023 | 2.65 | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 2.62 | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 2.57 | -2.1% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 2.57 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.06, 51% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 2.57 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.05, 84% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +30.9% | 2 | 2.62 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.69 | 2.38 | 2.94 | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.47 | 2.09 | 2.92 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.54 | 2 | 2.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.74 | 2.57 | 3.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea?
- Unemployment rate in Papua New Guinea was 2.57 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.03 in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 in 2010.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for unemployment rate?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 162nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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).