Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 7.8% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1991–2021
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2021, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 7.8%.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 11.1% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 2008.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 6th of 33 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.0% | — |
| 1994 | 10.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 8.0% | -19.7% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | +27.8% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 10.5% | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 10.0% | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 9.9% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 7.2% | -27.4% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | -8.5% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 7.3% | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 7.6% | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 7.0% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 7.8% | +12.3% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.3% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 6.2% | 11.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.9% | 8.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 47.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 14.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 50.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 21.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 29.2% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 7.8% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 2008.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 6th out of 33 groups with data for 2021.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.