Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 17.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 2006–2021
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) recorded 17.5% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2021.
That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 18.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 2008.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 7th out of 29 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 15.0% | — |
| 2007 | 14.2% | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 13.6% | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 13.6% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | +13.6% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 18.1% | +13.2% |
| 2013 | 17.3% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 16.5% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | +8.7% |
| 2016 | 17.8% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | -12.2% |
| 2020 | 18.3% | +17.0% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | -4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.1% | 13.6% | 15.0% | 4 |
| 2010s | 16.8% | 15.5% | 18.1% | 8 |
| 2020s | 17.9% | 17.5% | 18.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 17.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 47.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 13.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 44.9% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 17.5% in 2021, 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 2008.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 7th out of 29 groups with data for 2021.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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.