Unemployment rate in Yemen
Yemen: Unemployment rate was 17.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Yemen, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Yemen stood at 17.3%.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Yemen peaked at 18.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1994.
Yemen ranks 12th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.4% | 8.3% | 11.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 12.2% | 11.6% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.6% | 12.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 16.9% | 18.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More work & labour data for Yemen
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 62.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 3.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 41.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 23.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 4.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 61.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 7.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Yemen?
- Unemployment rate in Yemen was 17.3% 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 18.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1994.
- How does Yemen rank for unemployment rate?
- Yemen ranks 12th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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.