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Unemployment rate in Somalia

Somalia: Unemployment rate was 18.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
18.9%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
9th
of 186 countries
All-time high
20.0%
in 1994
All-time low
18.5%
in 2017
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Unemployment rate in Somalia, 1991–2025

051015201991200820251991: 19 %1992: 19.4 %1993: 19.3 %1994: 20 %1995: 19.6 %1996: 19.5 %1997: 18.9 %1998: 18.8 %1999: 18.8 %2000: 18.7 %2001: 18.7 %2002: 18.7 %2003: 18.6 %2004: 18.7 %2005: 18.7 %2006: 18.7 %2007: 18.7 %2008: 18.7 %2009: 18.7 %2010: 18.7 %2011: 18.8 %2012: 18.8 %2013: 18.7 %2014: 18.6 %2015: 18.5 %2016: 18.6 %2017: 18.5 %2018: 18.7 %2019: 18.8 %2020: 19.4 %2021: 19.7 %2022: 19.1 %2023: 19 %2024: 18.9 %2025: 18.9 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Somalia recorded 18.9% for unemployment rate in 2025.

The figure is up 2.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Somalia peaked at 20.0% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 18.5%, in 2017.

That places Somalia 9th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 19.3% 18.8% 20.0% 9
2000s 18.7% 18.6% 18.7% 10
2010s 18.7% 18.5% 18.8% 10
2020s 19.2% 18.9% 19.7% 6

Countries ranked near Somalia

  1. 6 Gabon 20.2% compare
  2. 7 Congo 19.9% compare
  3. 8 Namibia 19.3% compare
  4. 10 Libya 18.8% compare
  5. 11 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18.0% compare
  6. 12 Yemen 17.3% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Somalia

All data for Somalia →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate in Somalia?
Unemployment rate in Somalia was 18.9% 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 Somalia?
The highest recorded value was 20.0% in 1994.
What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Somalia?
The lowest recorded value was 18.5% in 2017.
How does Somalia rank for unemployment rate?
Somalia ranks 9th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Somalia?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Somalia 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

Indicator
Unemployment rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.