Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 17.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 17.5%.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 19.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 2009.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 4th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.0% | — |
| 1992 | 15.7% | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 16.6% | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 16.5% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 16.8% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | -6.9% |
| 1997 | 14.9% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 15.0% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 15.2% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 16.1% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 16.3% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 16.2% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 14.1% | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 14.7% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 13.9% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 13.2% | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 12.6% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 13.0% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 14.1% | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 18.0% | +27.8% |
| 2013 | 16.7% | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 16.0% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | +13.6% |
| 2016 | 18.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 19.0% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 18.0% | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 17.8% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 18.7% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 17.5% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 17.3% | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 17.5% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.7% | 14.9% | 16.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.6% | 12.6% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.9% | 13.0% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 17.3% | 18.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 17.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 44.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 13.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 47.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 17.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 19.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 2009.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male 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.