Unemployment rate in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Unemployment rate was 5.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu is 5.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Vanuatu peaked at 8.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2020.
That places Vanuatu 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.1% | 7.9% | 8.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 4.6% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More work & labour data for Vanuatu
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 55.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 64.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 60.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 53.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 58.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 33.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Vanuatu?
- Unemployment rate in Vanuatu was 5.1% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2020.
- How does Vanuatu rank for unemployment rate?
- Vanuatu ranks 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.