Unemployment rate in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Unemployment rate was 9.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
9.3%
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
42nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
10.1%
in 2022
All-time low
4.4%
in 2004
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Zimbabwe, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Zimbabwe stood at 9.3%.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 72.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Zimbabwe peaked at 10.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2004.
Zimbabwe ranks 42nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.8% | — |
| 1992 | 4.9% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 5.0% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 5.6% | +12.2% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +12.7% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | -7.9% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | -5.3% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 4.6% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +13.1% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 7.4% | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +16.9% |
| 2021 | 9.5% | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 10.1% | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 9.3% | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 9.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 9.3% | -1.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 9.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 1.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 9.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.6% | 4.8% | 6.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.4% | 8.6% | 10.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More work & labour data for Zimbabwe
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1727 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2032 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,627 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,032 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,130 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 18,036 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 37,167 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Zimbabwe?
- Unemployment rate in Zimbabwe was 9.3% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2004.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for unemployment rate?
- Zimbabwe ranks 42nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.