Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 19.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia stood at 19.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 66.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 61.9% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 18.3%, in 1992.
Saudi Arabia ranks 64th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.4% | — |
| 1992 | 18.3% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.0% | +9.3% |
| 1994 | 21.6% | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 23.1% | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 24.1% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 25.1% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 25.9% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 27.0% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 33.4% | +23.8% |
| 2001 | 32.0% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 39.6% | +23.7% |
| 2003 | 42.1% | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 44.2% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 46.0% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 47.2% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 45.0% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 48.8% | +8.5% |
| 2009 | 54.1% | +11.0% |
| 2010 | 52.0% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 51.5% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 54.3% | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 56.5% | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 59.8% | +5.9% |
| 2015 | 59.1% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 48.1% | -18.6% |
| 2017 | 61.9% | +28.7% |
| 2018 | 59.0% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 52.0% | -11.9% |
| 2020 | 51.9% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 28.7% | -44.7% |
| 2022 | 26.7% | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 22.8% | -14.8% |
| 2024 | 21.1% | -7.5% |
| 2025 | 19.7% | -6.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 19.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.1%, 1.5× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 19.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 29.5%, 67% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -44.7% | 51.9% | 28.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.6% | 18.3% | 27.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 32.0% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.4% | 48.1% | 61.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.5% | 19.7% | 51.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia?
- Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia was 19.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 61.9% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.3% in 1992.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 64th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.