Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen
Yemen: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 32.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen, 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 Yemen stood at 32.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen peaked at 34.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 16.9%, in 1994.
Yemen ranks 18th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Yemen, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 17.1% | — |
| 1992 | 16.9% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 16.9% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 17.2% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 17.5% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 17.8% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 18.1% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 19.0% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 19.2% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 19.6% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 19.9% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 20.2% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 20.6% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 20.9% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 23.8% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 32.7% | +32.1% |
| 2016 | 33.5% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 33.9% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 32.7% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 32.3% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 34.5% | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 34.1% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 32.5% | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 32.1% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 32.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 32.6% | +1.3% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 32.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.8%, 4.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 32.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 21.9%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +32.1% | 24.8% | 32.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.4% | 16.9% | 18.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 18.6% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.4% | 22.0% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.0% | 32.1% | 34.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More work & labour data for Yemen
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2636 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2778 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4814 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 27,630 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 20,674 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 54,803 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 55,233 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 110,036 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Yemen was 32.6% 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 34.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9% in 1994.
- How does Yemen rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Yemen ranks 18th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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.