Unemployment rate in Tanzania
Tanzania: Unemployment rate was 1.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Tanzania, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Tanzania is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Tanzania peaked at 3.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2024.
Tanzania ranks 175th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.6% | — |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 3.9% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 3.1% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -8.4% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -8.2% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -9.9% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +21.2% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -9.1% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | -27.5% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -16.2% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | +1.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 1.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 31% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 1.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 29% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.6% | 3.2% | 3.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.5% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More work & labour data for Tanzania
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 7,078 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 83.66 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 36,231 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.52 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.09 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 8,562 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 2,584 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 82.38 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.35 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Tanzania?
- Unemployment rate in Tanzania was 1.6% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2024.
- How does Tanzania rank for unemployment rate?
- Tanzania ranks 175th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.