Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World
World: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World, 1994–2022
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World is 5.1%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 17.9% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World peaked at 6.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 1994.
World ranks 19th of 33 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 4.4% | — |
| 2000 | 5.5% | +26.5% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 5.5% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 5.2% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | -4.9% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | +18.6% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | -8.4% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 5.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 5.5% | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 6.7% | +18.1% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | -17.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 7 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | 5.1% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.0% | 5.1% | 6.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near World
More work & labour data for World
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1316 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1143 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.688 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6.68 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3.09 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5.10 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5.08 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 10.18 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in World was 5.1% in 2022, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 1994.
- How does World rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- World ranks 19th out of 33 groups with data for 2022.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this World 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 — 21 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.