Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan, 1998–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan stood at 3.4%.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan peaked at 5.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1998.
Bhutan ranks 138th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1.4% | — |
| 1999 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +35.7% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +38.6% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +24.3% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | +7.1% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -16.7% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | -34.6% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +41.2% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -9.3% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | +36.7% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | -18.8% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +84.9% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | +23.8% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -44.4% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 3.4% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 1.8% | 4.0% | 7 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.1% | 3.4% | 8 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More work & labour data for Bhutan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6963 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7381 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.816 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9406 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 573.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 420.94 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 334.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 356.11 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 690.43 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bhutan was 3.4% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1998.
- How does Bhutan rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Bhutan ranks 138th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.