Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali
Mali: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 3.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali is 3.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 78.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali peaked at 6.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2003.
That places Mali 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Mali, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
| 1992 | 2.3% | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.3% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 2.1% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | +7.2% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.1% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 4.7% | +100.0% |
| 2020 | 6.7% | +44.2% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -34.2% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | -27.7% |
| 2023 | 3.9% | +20.5% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | +0.9% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 3.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.8%, 49% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mali's 3.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +100.0% | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| 2020 | +44.2% | 4.7% | 6.7% |
| 2021 | -34.2% | 6.7% | 4.4% |
| 2022 | -27.7% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.2% | 6.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mali
- 167 Uganda 4.2% compare
- 168 Côte d'Ivoire 4.0% compare
- 169 Japan 3.9% compare
- 171 Kazakhstan 3.8% compare
- 172 Papua New Guinea 3.8% compare
- 173 Sierra Leone 3.7% compare
More work & labour data for Mali
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3606 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 27,825 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,195 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 40,192 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,162 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 79,354 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Mali was 3.9% 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2003.
- How does Mali rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Mali ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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
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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.