Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 16.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda, 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 Rwanda stood at 16.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda peaked at 23.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 1997.
That places Rwanda 70th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.4% | — |
| 1992 | 16.2% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 16.2% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 16.0% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.4% | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 14.9% | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 14.4% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 14.7% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 15.2% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 15.4% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 15.6% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 15.7% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 15.8% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 15.8% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.0% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 16.1% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 16.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 16.3% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 16.4% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 16.6% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 16.3% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 15.9% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 23.3% | +46.2% |
| 2022 | 22.2% | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 18.2% | -18.2% |
| 2024 | 16.6% | -8.9% |
| 2025 | 16.4% | -0.9% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 16.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.8%, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 16.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +46.2% | 15.9% | 23.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.5% | 14.4% | 16.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 15.7% | 15.4% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.8% | 15.9% | 23.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More work & labour data for Rwanda
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.267 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2752 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2591 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3518 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,483 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,403 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,639 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,140 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 32,779 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Rwanda was 16.4% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 1997.
- How does Rwanda rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Rwanda ranks 70th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.