Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba
Cuba: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 4.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba stood at 4.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 28.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba peaked at 16.0% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2008.
That places Cuba 165th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.0% | — |
| 1992 | 15.5% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 16.0% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 15.7% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 15.3% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 15.0% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | -11.6% |
| 1999 | 12.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 11.1% | -11.7% |
| 2001 | 8.5% | -23.5% |
| 2002 | 6.8% | -19.7% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -30.6% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -17.6% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | -14.2% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | +72.5% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +27.2% |
| 2012 | 8.4% | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 6.6% | -18.3% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | -16.8% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | -13.6% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 5.2% | +21.7% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -11.7% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 4.3% | -0.1% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 4.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 27% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 4.3% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 31% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +72.5% | 3.5% | 6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.6% | 12.6% | 16.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 3.4% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | 4.2% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 4.2% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 162 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 5.0% compare
- 163 Guatemala 4.8% compare
- 164 Thailand 4.5% compare
- 166 Republic of Moldova 4.2% compare
- 167 Uganda 4.2% compare
- 168 Côte d'Ivoire 4.0% compare
More work & labour data for Cuba
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.07 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.06 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.16 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1738 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 9,101 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,722 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,757 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,821 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,577 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cuba was 4.3% 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 Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2008.
- How does Cuba rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Cuba ranks 165th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba 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.