This is a list of countries by unemployment rate. Methods of calculation and presentation of unemployment rate vary from country to country. Some countries count insured unemployed only, some count those in receipt of welfare benefit only, some count the disabled and other permanently unemployable people, some countries count those who choose (and are financially able) not to work, supported by their spouses and caring for a family, some count students at college and so on. There may also be differences in the minimum requirements and some consider people employed even if only marginally associated with employment market (for example, working only one hour per week). [1]
There can be differences in the age limit. For example, Eurostat uses 15 to 74 years old when calculating unemployment rate, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses anyone 16 years of age or older (in both cases, people who are under education, retired, on maternity/paternity leave, prevented from working due to health, or do not work but have been inactive in seeking employment in the last four weeks are excluded from the workforce, and therefore not counted as unemployed). [2] [3] Unemployment rates are often seasonally adjusted to avoid variations that depend on time of year. [2] [3] Employment rate as a percentage of total population in working age is sometimes used instead of unemployment rate.
For purposes of comparison, harmonized values are published by International Labour Organization (ILO) and by OECD. The ILO harmonized unemployment rate refers to those who are currently not working but are willing and able to work for pay, currently available to work, and have actively searched for work. The OECD harmonized unemployment rate gives the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force. Most unemployment rates given in the table below are derived from national statistics and therefore not directly comparable.
* indicates "Unemployment in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" or "Economy of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.
Country | Unemployment rate (%) | Source/date of information |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan * | 13.30 | [4] 2021 |
Albania * | 11.70 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Algeria * | 12.70 | [4] 2021 |
American Samoa * | 18.00 | [6] 2012 |
Andorra * | 3.70 | [7] 2016 |
Angola * | 8.50 | [4] 2021 |
Anguilla * | 7.80 | [8] July 2013 |
Antigua and Barbuda * | 11.00 | [7] 2014 |
Argentina * | 5.70 | [9] Q4 2023 |
Armenia * | 14.80 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Aruba * | 7.70 | [10] 2016 |
Australia * | 3.40 | [5] July 2022 |
Austria * | 4.30 | [11] June 2022 |
Azerbaijan * | 6.60 | [4] 2021 |
Bahamas * | 13.20 | [4] 2021 |
Bahrain * | 1.90 | [4] 2021 |
Bangladesh * | 5.20 | [4] 2021 |
Barbados * | 10.40 | [4] 2021 |
Belarus * | 4.70 | [4] 2021 |
Belgium * | 5.50 | [11] June 2022 |
Belize * | 8.20 | [4] 2021 |
Benin * | 1.60 | [4] 2021 |
Bermuda * | 7.00 | [7] 2017 |
Bhutan * | 4.30 | [4] 2021 |
Bolivia * | 8.50 | [4] 2021 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina * | 15.22 | [12] 2022 |
Botswana * | 20.68 | [13] 2022 |
Brazil * | 7.50 | [14] November 2023 |
British Virgin Islands * | 2.90 | [7] 2015 |
Brunei * | 7.60 | [4] 2021 |
Bulgaria * | 4.30 | [11] June 2022 |
Burkina Faso * | 4.80 | [4] 2021 |
Burundi * | 1.80 | [4] 2021 |
Cambodia * | 0.60 | [4] 2021 |
Cameroon * | 3.90 | [4] 2021 |
Canada * | 5.80 | [15] November 2023 |
Cape Verde * | 15.40 | [4] 2021 |
Cayman Islands * | 3.50 | [16] 2019 |
Central African Republic * | 6.60 | [4] 2021 |
Chad * | 1.90 | [4] 2021 |
Chile * | 7.80 | [5] June 2022 |
China * | 5.40 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands * | 6.70 | [17] 2011 |
Colombia * | 11.26 | [5] June 2022 |
Comoros * | 9.40 | [4] 2021 |
Congo * | 5.60 | [18] 2022 |
DR Congo * | 5.40 | [4] 2021 |
Cook Islands * | 13.10 | [7] 2005 |
Costa Rica * | 22.00 | [19] Q3 2020 |
Croatia * | 6.10 | [5] June 2022 |
Cuba * | 2.80 | [4] 2021 |
Cyprus * | 5.10 | [11] April 2021 |
Czech Republic * | 2.40 | [11] June 2022 |
Denmark * | 4.50 | [11] June 2022 |
Djibouti * | 27.93 | [20] 2022 |
Dominica * | 5.20 | [21] 2023 |
Dominican Republic * | 8.50 | [4] 2021 |
East Timor * | 4.60 | [4] 2020 |
Ecuador * | 4.90 | [22] Q4 2019 |
Egypt * | 7.20 | [5] Q2 2022 |
El Salvador * | 5.90 | [4] 2021 |
Equatorial Guinea * | 9.20 | [4] 2021 |
Eritrea * | 8.00 | [4] 2021 |
Estonia * | 5.70 | [11] June 2022 |
Eswatini * | 24.39 | [23] 2022 |
Ethiopia * | 3.70 | [4] 2021 |
European Union * | 6.00 | [11] June 2022 |
Faroe Islands * | 0.50 | [24] September 2022 |
Fiji * | 5.20 | [4] 2021 |
Finland * | 6.70 | [11] June 2022 |
France * | 7.20 | [11] June 2022 |
French Polynesia * | 14.40 | [4] 2021 |
Gabon * | 22.30 | [4] 2021 |
Gambia * | 11.20 | [4] 2021 |
Georgia * | 20.40 | [25] Q4 2020 |
Germany * | 5.40 | [26] July 2022 |
Ghana * | 4.70 | [4] 2021 |
Gibraltar * | 1.00 | [27] 2016 |
Greece * | 12.30 | [11] June 2022 |
Greenland * | 6.80 | [28] 2017 |
Grenada * | 16.60 | [29] 2021 |
Guam * | 4.50 | [7] 2017 |
Guatemala * | 3.60 | [4] 2021 |
Guernsey * | 1.00 | [30] Q2 2018 |
Guinea * | 6.30 | [4] 2021 |
Guinea-Bissau * | 6.80 | [4] 2021 |
Guyana * | 16.40 | [4] 2021 |
Haiti * | 15.70 | [4] 2021 |
Honduras * | 8.50 | [4] 2021 |
Hong Kong * | 4.30 | [5] July 2022 |
Hungary * | 3.00 | [11] June 2022 |
Iceland * | 4.00 | [5] June 2022 |
India * | 7.80 | [5] 2022 |
Indonesia * | 5.83 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Iran * | 8.70 | [4] 2023 |
Iraq * | 14.20 | [4] 2021 |
Ireland * | 4.20 | [11] July 2022 |
Isle of Man * | 1.90 | [31] October 2020 |
Israel * | 3.30 | [5] June 2022 |
Italy * | 8.10 | [11] June 2022 |
Ivory Coast * | 3.50 | [4] 2021 |
Jamaica * | 6.00 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Japan * | 2.60 | [32] July 2022 |
Jersey * | 1.60 | [33] March [34] 2020 |
Jordan * | 22.80 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Kazakhstan * | 4.90 | [5] June 2022 |
Kenya * | 5.70 | [4] 2021 |
Kiribati * | 8.60 | 2022 |
Kosovo * | 19.00 | [35] Q4 2021 |
Kuwait * | 3.70 | [4] 2021 |
Kyrgyzstan * | 2.90 | [5] May 2022 |
Laos * | 1.30 | [4] 2021 |
Latvia * | 6.40 | [11] June 2022 |
Lebanon * | 14.50 | [4] 2021 |
Lesotho * | 18.00 | [36] 2022 |
Liberia * | 4.10 | [4] 2021 |
Libya * | 19.60 | [4] 2021 |
Liechtenstein * | 1.50 | [37] 2019 |
Lithuania * | 5.80 | [11] June 2022 |
Luxembourg * | 4.20 | [11] June 2022 |
Macau * | 3.70 | [5] June 2022 |
Madagascar * | 2.60 | [4] 2021 |
Malawi * | 7.00 | [4] 2021 |
Malaysia * | 3.80 | [5] June 2022 |
Maldives * | 6.10 | [4] 2021 |
Mali * | 7.70 | [4] 2021 |
Malta * | 3.00 | [11] June 2022 |
Marshall Islands * | 6.30 | [38] 2019 |
Mauritania * | 11.50 | [4] 2021 |
Mauritius * | 8.70 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Mayotte * | 5.30 | [39] 2023 |
Mexico * | 3.30 | [5] June 2022 |
Micronesia * | 16.20 | [7] 2010 |
Moldova * | 3.00 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Monaco * | 2.00 | [7] 2012 |
Mongolia * | 7.10 | [4] 2021 |
Montenegro * | 19.90 | [5] June 2022 |
Montserrat * | 5.60 | [7] 2017 |
Morocco * | 11.20 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Mozambique * | 4.00 | [4] 2021 |
Myanmar * | 2.20 | [4] 2021 |
Namibia * | 21.70 | [4] 2021 |
Nauru * | 18.00 | [40] 2019 |
Nepal * | 5.10 | [4] 2021 |
Netherlands * | 3.60 | [5] July 2022 |
Netherlands Antilles | 21.20 | [41] April 2019 |
New Caledonia * | 16.60 | [4] 2021 |
New Zealand * | 3.30 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Nicaragua * | 6.00 | [4] 2021 |
Niger * | 0.80 | [4] 2021 |
Nigeria * | 4.10 | [42] 2023 |
Niue * | 10.70 | [43] 2006 |
North Korea * | 2.70 | [4] 2019 |
North Macedonia * | 14.80 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Northern Mariana Islands * | 11.20 | [7] 2010 |
Norway * | 3.30 | [5] June 2022 |
Oman * | 3.10 | [4] 2021 |
Pakistan * | 4.40 | [4] 2021 |
Palau * | 1.70 | [7] 2015 |
Palestine * | 24.00 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Panama * | 12.10 | [4] 2021 |
Papua New Guinea * | 2.80 | [4] 2021 |
Paraguay * | 5.70 | [44] Q4 2019 |
Peru * | 6.80 | [5] July 2022 |
Philippines * | 4.50 | [45] January 2024 |
Poland * | 2.70 | [11] June 2022 |
Portugal * | 6.10 | [11] June 2022 |
Puerto Rico * | 5.80 | [5] June 2022 |
Qatar * | 0.30 | [4] 2021 |
Romania * | 5.30 | [11] June 2022 |
Russia * | 3.90 | [5] June 2022 |
Rwanda * | 16.50 | [5] Feb. 2022 |
Saint Helena * | 2.00 | [46] 2010 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis * | 5.10 | [47] 2006 |
Saint Lucia * | 20.15 | [48] 2020 |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon * | 8.70 | [7] 2015 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines * | 18.80 | [7] 2008 |
Samoa * | 9.80 | [4] 2021 |
San Marino * | 8.00 | [7] 2017 |
São Tomé and Príncipe * | 15.90 | [4] 2021 |
Saudi Arabia * | 4.80 | [49] Q4 2022 |
Senegal * | 3.70 | [4] 2021 |
Serbia * | 10.60 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Sierra Leone * | 5.30 | [4] 2021 |
Singapore * | 2.10 | [5] Q2 2022 |
Slovakia * | 6.00 | [11] June 2022 |
Slovenia * | 3.80 | [11] June 2022 |
Somalia * | 19.90 | [4] 2021 |
South Africa * | 32.10 | [50] Q4 2023 |
South Korea * | 2.90 | [5] July 2022 |
South Sudan * | 13.90 | [4] 2021 |
Spain * | 11.60 | [51] June 2023 |
Sri Lanka * | 4.30 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Sudan * | 19.80 | [4] 2021 |
Suriname * | 10.10 | [4] 2021 |
Sweden * | 7.70 | [11] June 2022 |
Switzerland * | 4.30 | [11] June 2022 |
Syria * | 10.60 | [4] 2021 |
Taiwan * | 3.73 | [5] June 2022 |
Tajikistan * | 7.80 | [4] 2021 |
Tanzania * | 2.60 | [4] 2021 |
Thailand * | 1.53 | [5] March 2022 |
Togo * | 4.00 | [4] 2021 |
Tonga * | 4.00 | [4] 2021 |
Trinidad and Tobago * | 4.80 | [4] 2021 |
Tunisia * | 16.10 | [5] Q1 2022 |
Turkey * | 10.30 | [5] June 2022 |
Turkmenistan * | 5.10 | [4] 2021 |
Uganda * | 2.90 | [4] 2021 |
Ukraine * [lower-alpha 1] | 9.90 | [52] Q2 2020 |
United Arab Emirates * | 3.40 | [4] 2021 |
United Kingdom * | 3.50 | [53] October 2022 |
United States * | 3.90 | [54] February 2024 |
Uruguay * | 8.40 | [5] June 2022 |
Uzbekistan * | 8.90 | [55] Q3 2019 |
Vanuatu * | 2.20 | [4] 2021 |
Venezuela * | 6.40 | [4] 2021 |
Vietnam * | 2.46 | [5] Q1 2022 |
U.S. Virgin Islands * | 13.30 | [4] 2021 |
Wallis and Futuna * | 8.80 | [7] 2013 |
Yemen * | 13.60 | [4] 2021 |
Zambia * | 13.00 | [4] 2021 |
Zimbabwe * | 5.20 | [4] 2021 |
* indicates "Economy of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.
Country | 15-24 year-olds | 25-70 year-olds | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Australia * | 14.5 | 5.6 | 6.9 |
Austria * | 9.4 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
Belgium * | 18.3 | 4.2 | 5.2 |
Canada * | 18.8 | 7.3 | 8.9 |
Chile * | 27.3 | 10.8 | 12.0 |
Colombia * | 25.8 | 14.7 | 16.6 |
Czech Republic * | 8.1 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
Denmark * | 11.9 | 5.1 | 6.1 |
Estonia * | 20.9 | 6.9 | 8.0 |
Euro area (19 countries) | 17.6 | 7.4 | 8.3 |
European Union (27 countries, 2020) | 17.1 | 6.6 | 7.5 |
Finland * | 19.8 | 7.0 | 8.4 |
France * | 19.6 | 6.6 | 7.9 |
G7 | 12.8 | 5.6 | 6.5 |
Germany * | 6.0 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
Greece * | 39.3 | 15.8 | 16.8 |
Hungary * | 12.4 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
Iceland * | 10.7 | 4.7 | 5.6 |
Ireland * | 18.9 | 3.8 | 5.4 |
Israel * | 8.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 |
Italy * | 29.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 |
Japan * | 4.3 | 2.9 | 3.0 |
South Korea * | 10.9 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
Latvia * | 15.5 | 8.0 | 8.4 |
Lithuania * | 27.7 | 8.6 | 9.8 |
Luxembourg * | 23.1 | 5.4 | 6.7 |
Mexico * | 8.0 | 4.0 | 4.7 |
Netherlands * | 7.4 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
Norway * | 12.9 | 4.1 | 5.3 |
OECD - Total | 14.6 | 6.3 | 7.3 |
Poland * | 8.7 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
Portugal * | 24.0 | 6.6 | 7.7 |
Slovakia * | 18.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 |
Slovenia * | 13.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
Spain * | 40.4 | 14.9 | 16.5 |
Sweden * | 24.9 | 7.1 | 9.0 |
Turkey * | 25.7 | 11.8 | 13.8 |
United Kingdom * | 13.6 | 3.1 | 4.3 |
United States * | 11.7 | 6.2 | 5.2 |
The economy of Denmark is a modern high-income and highly developed mixed economy. The economy of Denmark is dominated by the service sector with 80% of all jobs, whereas about 11% of all employees work in manufacturing and 2% in agriculture. The nominal gross national income per capita was the ninth-highest in the world at $68,827 in 2023.
The economy of Slovakia is based upon Slovakia becoming an EU member state in 2004, and adopting the euro at the beginning of 2009. Its capital, Bratislava, is the largest financial centre in Slovakia. As of Q1 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.72%.
Unemployment, according to the OECD, is people above a specified age not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the reference period.
The economy of the Netherlands is a highly developed market economy focused on trade and logistics, manufacturing, services, innovation and technology and sustainable and renewable energy. It is the world's 18th largest economy by nominal GDP and the 28th largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) and is the fifth largest economy in European Union by nominal GDP. It has the world's 11th highest per capita GDP (nominal) and the 13th highest per capita GDP (PPP) as of 2023 making it one of the highest earning nations in the world. Many of the world's largest tech companies are based in its capital Amsterdam or have established their European headquarters in the city, such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Cisco, Uber, Netflix and Tesla. Its second largest city Rotterdam is a major trade, logistics and economic center of the world and is Europe's largest seaport. Netherlands is ranked fifth on global innovation index and fourth on the Global Competitiveness Report.
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In economics, a discouraged worker is a person of legal employment age who is not actively seeking employment or who has not found employment after long-term unemployment, but who would prefer to be working. This is usually because an individual has given up looking, hence the term "discouraged".
The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of about 60,000 U.S. households conducted by the United States Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS uses the data to publish reports early each month called the Employment Situation. This report provides estimates of the unemployment rate and the numbers of employed and unemployed people in the United States based on the CPS. A readable Employment Situation Summary is provided monthly. Annual estimates include employment and unemployment in large metropolitan areas. Researchers can use some CPS microdata to investigate these or other topics.
The labor force in Japan numbered 65.9 million people in 2010, which was 59.6% of the population of 15 years old and older, and amongst them, 62.57 million people were employed, whereas 3.34 million people were unemployed which made the unemployment rate 5.1%. The structure of Japan's labor market experienced gradual change in the late 1980s and continued this trend throughout the 1990s. The structure of the labor market is affected by: 1) shrinking population, 2) replacement of postwar baby boom generation, 3) increasing numbers of women in the labor force, and 4) workers' rising education level. Also, an increase in the number of foreign nationals in the labor force is foreseen.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development defines the employment rate as the employment-to-population ratio. This is a statistical ratio that measures the proportion of a country's working age population that is employed. This includes people that have stopped looking for work. The International Labour Organization states that a person is considered employed if they have worked at least 1 hour in "gainful" employment in the most recent week.
The economy of Sweden is a highly developed export-oriented economy, aided by timber, hydropower, and iron ore. These constitute the resource base of an economy oriented toward foreign trade. The main industries include motor vehicles, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, industrial machines, precision equipment, chemical goods, home goods and appliances, forestry, iron, and steel. Traditionally, Sweden relied on a modern agricultural economy that employed over half the domestic workforce. Today Sweden further develops engineering, mine, steel, and pulp industries, which are competitive internationally, as evidenced by companies such as Ericsson, ASEA/ABB, SKF, Alfa Laval, AGA, and Dyno Nobel.
The International Labor Comparisons Program (ILC) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adjusts economic statistics to a common conceptual framework in order to make data comparable across countries. Its data can be used to evaluate the economic performance of one country relative to that of other countries and to assess international competitiveness.
Unemployment in the United States discusses the causes and measures of U.S. unemployment and strategies for reducing it. Job creation and unemployment are affected by factors such as economic conditions, global competition, education, automation, and demographics. These factors can affect the number of workers, the duration of unemployment, and wage levels.
Unemployment in the United Kingdom is measured by the Office for National Statistics. As of February 2024, the U.K. unemployment rate is 3.8%, down from 3.9% in January.
Youth unemployment is a special case of unemployment; youth, here, meaning those between the ages of 15 and 24.
Statistics on unemployment in India had traditionally been collected, compiled and disseminated once every ten years by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MLE), primarily from sample studies conducted by the National Sample Survey Office. Other than these 5-year sample studies, India has – except since 2017 – never routinely collected monthly, quarterly or yearly nationwide employment and unemployment statistics. In 2016, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a non-governmental entity based in Mumbai, started sampling and publishing monthly unemployment in India statistics.
Unemployment in Poland appeared in the 19th century during industrialization, and was particularly severe during the Great Depression. Under communist rule Poland officially had close to full employment, although hidden unemployment existed. After Poland's transition to a market economy the unemployment rate sharply increased, peaking at above 16% in 1993, then dropped afterwards, but remained well above pre-1993 levels. Another period of high unemployment occurred in the early 2000s when the rate reached 20%. As Poland entered the European Union (EU) and its job market in 2004, the high unemployment set off a wave of emigration, and as a result domestic unemployment started a downward trend that continued until the onset of the 2008 Great Recession. Recent years have seen an increase in the unemployment rate from below 8% to above 10% (Eurostat) or from below 10% to 13% (GUS). The rate began dropping again in late 2013. Polish government (GUS) reported 9.6% registered unemployment in November 2015, while European Union's Eurostat gave 7.2%. According to Eurostat data, since 2008, unemployment in Poland has been constantly below the EU average. Significant regional differences in the unemployment rate exist across Poland.
Youth unemployment in Italy discusses the statistics, trends, causes and consequences of unemployment among young Italians. Italy displays one of the highest rates of youth unemployment among the 35 member countries of the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). The Italian youth unemployment rate started raising dramatically since the 2008 financial crisis reaching its peak of 42.67% in 2014. In 2017, among the EU member states, the youth unemployment rate of Italy (35.1%) was exceeded by only Spain and Greece. The Italian youth unemployment rate was more than the double of the total EU average rate of 16.7% in 2017. While youth unemployment is extremely high compared to EU standards, the Italian total unemployment rate (11.1%) is closer to EU average (7.4%).
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