Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 14.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia, 1992–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Europe & Central Asia recorded 14.1% for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 21.9% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 2025.
That places Europe & Central Asia 12th out of 21 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 16.7% | — |
| 1993 | 19.3% | +15.5% |
| 1994 | 20.9% | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 20.4% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 20.7% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 21.2% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 21.0% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 20.0% | -4.9% |
| 2000 | 18.1% | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 18.0% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 18.2% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 18.7% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 18.4% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 18.0% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 16.3% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 21.0% | +28.5% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 20.6% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 21.6% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 21.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 21.9% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 20.6% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 18.2% | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 17.3% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 17.0% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 17.6% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 14.9% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 14.5% | -2.1% |
| 2025 | 14.1% | -2.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +28.5% | 16.3% | 21.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.0% | 16.7% | 21.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 18.2% | 16.3% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.0% | 17.0% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 14.1% | 17.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 9 New Caledonia 30.9% compare
- 10 North Macedonia 30.3% compare
- 11 Bermuda 30.0% compare
- 12 Guam 29.5% compare
- 13 Morocco 28.7% compare
- 14 Montenegro 26.5% compare
- 15 Algeria 25.7% compare
More work & labour data for Europe & Central Asia
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 58.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 65.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 35.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 44.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 72.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Europe & Central Asia was 14.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.9% in 2014.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 2025.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 12th out of 21 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male 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.