Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 11.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia, 1982–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia is 11.5%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.0% on the previous year and down 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia peaked at 37.3% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 2025.
That places North Macedonia 21st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 22.0% | — |
| 1983 | 20.9% | -5.0% |
| 1984 | 21.1% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 21.6% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 21.7% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 21.5% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 21.4% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 22.6% | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 23.6% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 24.5% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 26.3% | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 27.7% | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 30.0% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 35.6% | +18.7% |
| 1996 | 31.8% | -10.7% |
| 1997 | 36.0% | +13.2% |
| 1998 | 34.5% | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 32.4% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 32.2% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 30.5% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 31.9% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 36.7% | +14.8% |
| 2004 | 37.2% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 36.4% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 35.2% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 33.9% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 32.4% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 33.1% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 31.5% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 31.1% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 29.0% | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 28.2% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 26.4% | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 24.3% | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 22.9% | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 21.2% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 17.4% | -17.9% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 14.5% | -8.4% |
| 2023 | 13.2% | -9.0% |
| 2024 | 12.3% | -6.9% |
| 2025 | 11.5% | -6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.6% | 20.9% | 22.6% | 8 |
| 1990s | 30.2% | 23.6% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.4% | 30.5% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.5% | 17.4% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 11.5% | 16.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
- 18 Morocco 11.8% compare
- 19 Algeria 11.7% compare
- 20 Montenegro 11.5% compare
- 22 Lebanon 11.3% compare
- 23 Cape Verde 11.3% compare
- 24 Northern Mariana Islands 11.2% compare
More work & labour data for North Macedonia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.24 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.21 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1782 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,405 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 525.79 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 422.57 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 440.42 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 863 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in North Macedonia was 11.5% 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 North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.3% in 2005.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 2025.
- How does North Macedonia rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- North Macedonia ranks 21st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.