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.
Unemployment rate in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.3% | — |
| 1992 | 12.1% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 12.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 12.2% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 11.5% | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 11.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 11.4% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 11.7% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 11.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 11.8% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 11.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 11.5% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 11.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 11.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 11.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 10.8% | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +33.4% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | -18.1% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -8.3% |
| 2025 | 11.4% | +0.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 11.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 2.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 11.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +33.4% | 11.8% | 15.8% |
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
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.267 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2752 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2591 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3518 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,483 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,403 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,639 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,140 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 32,779 1000 No (2100)
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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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.