Unemployment rate in Zambia
Zambia: Unemployment rate was 5.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Zambia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Zambia stood at 5.9%.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Zambia peaked at 19.7% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 2017.
Zambia ranks 79th of 186 countries on this measure, 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 | 16.3% | 12.0% | 19.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 12.9% | 7.9% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 4.5% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.2% | 6.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More work & labour data for Zambia
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 83.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 62.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 67.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Zambia?
- Unemployment rate in Zambia was 5.9% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2017.
- How does Zambia rank for unemployment rate?
- Zambia ranks 79th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.