Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania
Romania: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 26.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania, 1992–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Romania recorded 26.1% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.1% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania peaked at 26.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2018.
That places Romania 22nd out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 22.4% | — |
| 1995 | 20.9% | -6.4% |
| 1996 | 20.2% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 17.4% | -13.8% |
| 1998 | 16.8% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 17.8% | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 17.6% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +26.0% |
| 2003 | 19.5% | -12.1% |
| 2004 | 22.3% | +14.3% |
| 2005 | 20.2% | -9.3% |
| 2006 | 21.4% | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 20.1% | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 18.6% | -7.7% |
| 2009 | 20.8% | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 22.6% | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 23.7% | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 24.0% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 21.7% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 20.6% | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | -11.1% |
| 2018 | 16.2% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 16.8% | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | +21.3% |
| 2022 | 22.8% | +8.3% |
| 2023 | 21.8% | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 23.9% | +9.9% |
| 2025 | 26.1% | +9.1% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 26.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.9× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Romania's 26.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.2%, 1.7× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.2% | 16.8% | 22.4% | 6 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 17.6% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.0% | 16.2% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 17.3% | 26.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More work & labour data for Romania
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7777 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7486 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.8063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.18 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1264 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,932 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,465 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,408 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,360 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 10,768 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Romania was 26.1% 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 26.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2018.
- How does Romania rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Romania ranks 22nd out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Romania 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.