Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: 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, 2006–2021
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 17.5%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 6.5% 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 peaked at 18.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 2008.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 6th out of 29 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 15.1% | — |
| 2007 | 15.1% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 14.6% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 14.7% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | +16.3% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 17.2% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 18.0% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 17.6% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 16.3% | -7.4% |
| 2019 | 16.0% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | +17.3% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | -6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.9% | 14.6% | 15.1% | 4 |
| 2010s | 17.0% | 15.6% | 18.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 17.5% | 18.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 47.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 14.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 50.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 21.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 29.2% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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?
- The highest recorded value was 18.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 2008.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 6th 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?
- 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 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.