Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt
Egypt: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt, 1970–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Egypt recorded 5.9% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2024.
The figure is down 12.0% on the previous year and down 54.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt peaked at 13.2% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1975.
That places Egypt 80th out of 187 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.4% | — |
| 1971 | 1.8% | -25.0% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | -16.7% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | +53.3% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -68.3% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | +330.0% |
| 1978 | 3.6% | +16.1% |
| 1979 | 4.6% | +26.4% |
| 1980 | 5.2% | +13.0% |
| 1981 | 5.4% | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 5.7% | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | +13.5% |
| 1984 | 5.9% | -9.0% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | +19.9% |
| 1990 | 8.4% | +19.5% |
| 1991 | 9.4% | +11.2% |
| 1992 | 8.9% | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 10.9% | +22.3% |
| 1994 | 10.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 11.0% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 9.0% | -18.5% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | -7.0% |
| 1998 | 8.0% | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 9.0% | +13.0% |
| 2001 | 9.2% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 10.4% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 11.2% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 10.5% | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | -16.1% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 8.8% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | +35.3% |
| 2012 | 12.6% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 13.2% | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 13.1% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 13.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 12.4% | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 11.8% | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 9.9% | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 7.9% | -20.3% |
| 2020 | 8.0% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 7.4% | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | -8.0% |
| 2024 | 5.9% | -12.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 0.7% | 4.6% | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.0% | 5.2% | 7.1% | 6 |
| 1990s | 9.3% | 8.0% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.8% | 8.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.4% | 7.9% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 5.9% | 8.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Egypt
More work & labour data for Egypt
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0535 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0709 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0359 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3894 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 85,321 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 68,113 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 100,315 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 101,580 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 201,895 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Egypt was 5.9% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Egypt?
- The highest recorded value was 13.2% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Egypt?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1975.
- How does Egypt rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Egypt ranks 80th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Egypt?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Egypt 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.