Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1990–2022
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 4.0% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2022.
That represents a change of down 11.7% on the previous year and up 42.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 4.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1991.
That places East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 31st out of 33 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.5% | — |
| 1991 | 1.4% | -44.3% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -11.7% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +25.2% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +10.9% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | +36.7% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | +51.5% |
| 2001 | 2.2% | -46.8% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | +17.3% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -12.4% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +22.2% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | +8.5% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | +16.0% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +13.2% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | +24.9% |
| 2019 | 4.3% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 4.8% | +11.1% |
| 2021 | 4.5% | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -11.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.7% compare
- 29 Nepal 10.7% compare
- 30 Spain 10.5% compare
- 31 Mauritania 10.4% compare
- 32 Angola 10.4% compare
- 33 Bahamas 10.3% compare
- 34 New Caledonia 10.2% compare
More work & labour data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 42.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 46.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 58.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 72.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was 4.0% in 2022, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1991.
- How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 31st out of 33 groups with data for 2022.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.