Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 17.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan, 2009–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 17.9% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and up 66.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan peaked at 28.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 2012.
Bhutan ranks 55th of 160 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 12.9% | — |
| 2010 | 9.2% | -28.9% |
| 2011 | 9.4% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | -22.2% |
| 2013 | 9.5% | +31.2% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | +14.3% |
| 2018 | 15.7% | +46.6% |
| 2019 | 11.8% | -24.7% |
| 2020 | 22.6% | +90.5% |
| 2021 | 20.9% | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 28.6% | +36.8% |
| 2023 | 15.2% | -47.0% |
| 2024 | 18.7% | +23.2% |
| 2025 | 17.9% | -4.1% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 17.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.0%, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 17.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 17.7%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.9% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 10.4% | 7.3% | 15.7% | 8 |
| 2020s | 20.7% | 15.2% | 28.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More work & labour data for Bhutan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6963 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7381 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.816 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9406 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 573.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 420.94 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 334.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 356.11 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 690.43 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Bhutan was 17.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 28.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 2012.
- How does Bhutan rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Bhutan ranks 55th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.