Unemployment rate in Uganda
Uganda: Unemployment rate was 2.75 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.75
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
156th
of 186 countries
All-time high
3.82
in 2020
All-time low
1.9
in 2005
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Uganda, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 2.75 for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Uganda peaked at 3.82 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.9, in 2005.
That places Uganda 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Uganda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.45 | — |
| 1992 | 3.55 | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 3.49 | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 3.46 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 3.19 | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 3.17 | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 3.21 | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 3.42 | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 3.46 | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.53 | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 3.52 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 3.5 | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.6 | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7 | -25.0% |
| 2005 | 1.9 | -29.6% |
| 2006 | 2.26 | +19.2% |
| 2007 | 2.67 | +17.8% |
| 2008 | 3.04 | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 3.6 | +18.6% |
| 2010 | 3.62 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 3.52 | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 3.55 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 1.91 | -46.2% |
| 2014 | 2.36 | +23.4% |
| 2015 | 2.68 | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 3 | +12.0% |
| 2017 | 3.43 | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 3.25 | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 3.06 | -5.9% |
| 2020 | 3.82 | +24.9% |
| 2021 | 3.42 | -10.6% |
| 2022 | 2.88 | -15.5% |
| 2023 | 2.75 | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 2.74 | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 2.75 | +0.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 2.75 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.43, 62% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 2.75 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.45, 50% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.38 | 3.17 | 3.55 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.03 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.04 | 1.91 | 3.62 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.06 | 2.74 | 3.82 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More work & labour data for Uganda
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0408 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0266 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 46,664 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 59,035 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 60,822 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 60,013 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 120,835 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Uganda?
- Unemployment rate in Uganda was 2.75 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9 in 2005.
- How does Uganda rank for unemployment rate?
- Uganda ranks 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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).