Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 16.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 16.8% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 33.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan peaked at 17.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 2010.
Afghanistan ranks 68th 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 total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.2% | — |
| 1992 | 10.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 10.2% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 10.2% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 10.2% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 10.2% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 10.1% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 10.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 10.1% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 10.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 10.1% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 12.5% | +24.2% |
| 2016 | 14.9% | +19.1% |
| 2017 | 17.3% | +15.9% |
| 2018 | 16.4% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 15.5% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 16.0% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 17.5% | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 16.8% | -2.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 16.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.8%, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 16.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 21.9%, 77% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.2% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.2% | 10.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.7% | 10.0% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 16.0% | 17.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Afghanistan was 16.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 2010.
- How does Afghanistan rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Afghanistan ranks 68th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.