Unemployment rate in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Unemployment rate was 9.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
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.
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
- 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+) 67.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 83.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 62.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 68.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 62.9% (2025)
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.
Download this data
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.