Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 15.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium, 1983–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Belgium recorded 15.7% for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is up 6.4% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium peaked at 30.3% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2019.
That places Belgium 74th out of 157 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 28.9% | — |
| 1984 | 30.3% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 29.7% | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 27.0% | -9.4% |
| 1987 | 28.7% | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 23.4% | -18.2% |
| 1989 | 20.2% | -14.0% |
| 1990 | 19.2% | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 17.1% | -10.7% |
| 1992 | 15.2% | -11.3% |
| 1993 | 19.6% | +29.3% |
| 1994 | 23.4% | +19.1% |
| 1995 | 23.7% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 24.4% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 25.7% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 23.0% | -10.4% |
| 1999 | 22.4% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 18.2% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 16.6% | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 15.2% | -8.8% |
| 2003 | 17.5% | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 19.5% | +11.5% |
| 2005 | 22.1% | +13.1% |
| 2006 | 22.6% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 20.9% | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 18.7% | -10.4% |
| 2009 | 22.5% | +20.1% |
| 2010 | 22.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | -16.2% |
| 2012 | 18.9% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 22.5% | +19.1% |
| 2014 | 22.3% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 20.0% | -10.2% |
| 2016 | 18.2% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 12.3% | -19.6% |
| 2020 | 15.1% | +23.2% |
| 2021 | 16.2% | +7.0% |
| 2022 | 14.4% | -10.7% |
| 2023 | 14.4% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 14.8% | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 15.7% | +6.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 15.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.6%, 1.2× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 15.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.4%, 1.1× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26.9% | 20.2% | 30.3% | 7 |
| 1990s | 21.4% | 15.2% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 15.2% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 12.3% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 14.4% | 16.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 71 Venezuela 16.8% compare
- 72 United Arab Emirates 16.6% compare
- 73 Brazil 15.8% compare
- 75 New Zealand 15.5% compare
- 76 Azerbaijan 15.3% compare
- 77 Burkina Faso 15.2% compare
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium?
- Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Belgium was 15.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 30.3% in 1984.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
- Belgium ranks 74th out of 157 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.