Unemployment rate in Rwanda
Rwanda: Unemployment rate was 11.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Rwanda, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 11.4% for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Rwanda peaked at 15.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 2018.
Rwanda ranks 31st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 11.4% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 10.8% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.0% | 11.3% | 15.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 28 French Polynesia 11.7% compare
- 29 Algeria 11.6% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 11.4% compare
- 32 New Caledonia 11.2% compare
- 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.0% compare
- 34 Lebanon 11.0% compare
More work & labour data for Rwanda
- 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)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 63.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 66.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 72.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 60.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Rwanda?
- Unemployment rate in Rwanda was 11.4% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 15.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 2018.
- How does Rwanda rank for unemployment rate?
- Rwanda ranks 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.