Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 10.0% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1995–2021
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2021, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) stood at 10.0%.
That represents a change of up 8.2% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 11.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 1995.
That places Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 1st out of 33 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6.4% | — |
| 1996 | 7.4% | +16.5% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +9.8% |
| 1998 | 9.1% | +11.3% |
| 1999 | 11.0% | +21.0% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -21.4% |
| 2001 | 9.2% | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 8.6% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 8.6% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -6.7% |
| 2006 | 8.2% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 10.5% | +23.7% |
| 2010 | 9.4% | -10.1% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 9.2% | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 8.9% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 9.4% | +6.0% |
| 2017 | 9.1% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 9.6% | +5.6% |
| 2019 | 10.2% | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 9.3% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 10.0% | +8.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.4% | 6.4% | 11.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 8.8% | 8.0% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.1% | 8.4% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 9.3% | 10.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- 1 Eswatini 34.3% compare
- 2 South Africa 32.3% compare
- 3 Palestine, State of 28.7% compare
- 4 Botswana 24.4% compare
More work & labour data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 64.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 69.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 56.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 31.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 63.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 50.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 44.0% (2025)
All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 10.0% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 11.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 1995.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 1st out of 33 groups with data for 2021.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 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.