Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 3.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea, 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 Papua New Guinea is 3.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea peaked at 5.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2010.
That places Papua New Guinea 172nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.0% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 4.7% | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 5.0% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 5.2% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 5.2% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 5.3% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 5.3% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 4.5% | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 4.3% | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 4.5% | +26.8% |
| 2012 | 4.5% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 4.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 4.3% | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 4.3% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 4.3% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 3.8% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | +0.1% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 3.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 37% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 3.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.0%, 42% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +26.8% | 3.6% | 4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 3.6% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 169 Japan 3.9% compare
- 170 Mali 3.9% compare
- 171 Kazakhstan 3.8% compare
- 173 Sierra Leone 3.7% compare
- 174 Timor-Leste 3.7% compare
- 175 Senegal 3.6% compare
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Papua New Guinea was 3.8% 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2010.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 172nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.
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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.