Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 1.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 1.9% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2024.
The figure is down 12.8% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1985.
That places United Arab Emirates 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 2.0% | — |
| 1980 | 1.2% | -39.6% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +57.2% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +38.4% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | +28.5% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -59.2% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | +50.5% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +84.2% |
| 2021 | 3.1% | -27.7% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -25.1% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | -12.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.3% | 4.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 1.9% | 4.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates was 1.9% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1985.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.