The share of the labor force that is looking for work and available to start.
The ranking uses the latest available value for each country — the year is shown in the row. The table spans 2021 to 2025.
Top-20 · % of labor force
The scale does not start at zero — the values lie in a narrow range, and starting from zero the bars would be indistinguishable. The axis ticks are labeled.
| # | Year | Subregion | World rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Eswatini
|
34.2 | 2025 | 187 | |
| 2 |
South Africa
|
32.39 | 2025 | 186 | |
| 3 |
Djibouti
|
26.02 | 2025 | 185 | |
| 4 |
Botswana
|
24.48 | 2025 | 184 | |
| 5 |
Palestine
|
24.42 | 2022 | 183 | |
| 6 |
Gabon
|
20.15 | 2025 | 182 | |
| 7 |
Republic of the Congo
|
19.88 | 2025 | 181 | |
| 8 |
Namibia
|
19.29 | 2025 | 180 | |
| 9 |
Somalia
|
18.95 | 2025 | 179 | |
| 10 |
Libya
|
18.76 | 2025 | 178 | |
| 11 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
18 | 2025 | 177 | |
| 12 |
Yemen
|
17.32 | 2025 | 176 | |
| 13 |
Jordan
|
16.54 | 2025 | 175 | |
| 14 |
Lesotho
|
16.32 | 2025 | 174 | |
| 15 |
Iraq
|
15.49 | 2025 | 173 | |
| 16 |
Tunisia
|
15.11 | 2025 | 172 | |
| 17 |
Haiti
|
14.94 | 2025 | 171 | |
| 18 |
Angola
|
14.11 | 2025 | 170 | |
| 19 |
Montenegro
|
13.57 | 2025 | 169 | |
| 20 |
Syria
|
13.57 | 2025 | 168 | |
| 21 |
Afghanistan
|
13.35 | 2025 | 167 | |
| 22 |
Armenia
|
12.87 | 2025 | 166 | |
| 23 |
South Sudan
|
12.37 | 2023 | 165 | |
| 24 |
North Macedonia
|
12.26 | 2025 | 164 | |
| 25 |
Georgia
|
12.1 | 2025 | 163 | |
| 26 |
Guyana
|
11.96 | 2025 | 162 | |
| 27 |
Cabo Verde
|
11.94 | 2025 | 161 | |
| 28 |
French Polynesia
|
11.66 | 2025 | 160 | |
| 29 |
Algeria
|
11.63 | 2025 | 159 | |
| 30 |
United States Virgin Islands
|
11.44 | 2025 | 158 | |
| 31 |
Rwanda
|
11.36 | 2025 | 157 | |
| 32 |
New Caledonia
|
11.17 | 2025 | 156 | |
| 33 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
11.04 | 2025 | 155 | |
| 34 |
Lebanon
|
10.99 | 2023 | 154 | |
| 35 |
Albania
|
10.93 | 2025 | 153 | |
| 36 |
Nepal
|
10.47 | 2025 | 152 | |
| 37 |
Spain
|
10.38 | 2025 | 151 | |
| 38 |
Mauritania
|
10.32 | 2025 | 150 | |
| 39 |
Ukraine
|
9.83 | 2021 | 149 | |
| 40 |
Finland
|
9.46 | 2025 | 148 | |
| 41 |
Saint Lucia
|
9.45 | 2025 | 147 | |
| 42 |
Zimbabwe
|
9.29 | 2025 | 146 | |
| 43 |
Bahamas
|
9.21 | 2025 | 145 | |
| 44 |
Sao Tome and Principe
|
9.13 | 2025 | 144 | |
| 45 |
Morocco
|
9 | 2025 | 143 | |
| 46 |
Chile
|
8.97 | 2025 | 142 | |
| 47 |
Belize
|
8.86 | 2025 | 141 | |
| 48 |
Sweden
|
8.69 | 2025 | 140 | |
| 49 |
Greece
|
8.54 | 2025 | 139 | |
| 50 |
Türkiye
|
8.52 | 2025 | 138 | |
| 51 |
Panama
|
8.36 | 2025 | 137 | |
| 52 |
Equatorial Guinea
|
8.34 | 2025 | 136 | |
| 53 |
Estonia
|
8.31 | 2025 | 135 | |
| 54 |
Iran
|
8.3 | 2025 | 134 | |
| 55 |
Colombia
|
8.29 | 2025 | 133 | |
| 56 |
Suriname
|
7.83 | 2025 | 132 | |
| 57 |
France
|
7.54 | 2025 | 131 | |
| 58 |
Sudan
|
7.53 | 2022 | 130 | |
| 59 |
Uruguay
|
7.52 | 2025 | 129 | |
| 60 |
Argentina
|
7.15 | 2025 | 128 | |
| 61 |
Serbia
|
7.12 | 2025 | 127 | |
| 62 |
Tajikistan
|
6.93 | 2025 | 126 | |
| 63 |
Canada
|
6.91 | 2025 | 125 | |
| 64 |
Costa Rica
|
6.84 | 2025 | 124 | |
| 65 |
Egypt
|
6.78 | 2025 | 123 | |
| 66 |
Lithuania
|
6.73 | 2025 | 122 | |
| 67 |
Mozambique
|
6.63 | 2025 | 121 | |
| 68 |
Latvia
|
6.57 | 2025 | 120 | |
| 69 |
Barbados
|
6.52 | 2025 | 119 | |
| 70 |
Gambia
|
6.52 | 2025 | 118 | |
| 71 |
Italy
|
6.39 | 2025 | 117 | |
| 72 |
Luxembourg
|
6.34 | 2025 | 116 | |
| 73 |
Central African Republic
|
6.25 | 2025 | 115 | |
| 74 |
Channel Islands
|
6.17 | 2025 | 114 | |
| 75 |
Portugal
|
6.16 | 2025 | 113 | |
| 76 |
Romania
|
5.99 | 2025 | 112 | |
| 77 |
Puerto Rico
|
5.99 | 2025 | 111 | |
| 78 |
Eritrea
|
5.98 | 2025 | 110 | |
| 79 |
Brazil
|
5.97 | 2025 | 109 | |
| 80 |
Zambia
|
5.92 | 2025 | 108 | |
| 81 |
Belgium
|
5.91 | 2025 | 107 | |
| 82 |
Mauritius
|
5.64 | 2025 | 106 | |
| 83 |
Austria
|
5.58 | 2025 | 105 | |
| 84 |
Guam
|
5.57 | 2025 | 104 | |
| 85 |
Denmark
|
5.53 | 2025 | 103 | |
| 86 |
Azerbaijan
|
5.46 | 2025 | 102 | |
| 87 |
Kenya
|
5.45 | 2025 | 101 | |
| 88 |
Pakistan
|
5.42 | 2025 | 100 | |
| 89 |
Slovakia
|
5.36 | 2025 | 99 | |
| 90 |
Fiji
|
5.35 | 2025 | 98 | |
| 91 |
Venezuela
|
5.31 | 2025 | 97 | |
| 92 |
Brunei Darussalam
|
5.28 | 2025 | 96 | |
| 93 |
Mongolia
|
5.23 | 2025 | 95 | |
| 94 |
Guinea
|
5.16 | 2025 | 94 | |
| 95 |
Peru
|
5.12 | 2025 | 93 | |
| 96 |
Dominican Republic
|
5.09 | 2025 | 92 | |
| 97 |
New Zealand
|
5.08 | 2025 | 91 | |
| 98 |
Vanuatu
|
5.07 | 2025 | 90 | |
| 99 |
Malawi
|
5.07 | 2025 | 89 | |
| 100 |
Nicaragua
|
5.04 | 2025 | 88 | |
| 101 |
Croatia
|
5 | 2025 | 87 | |
| 102 |
Samoa
|
5 | 2025 | 86 | |
| 103 |
Cyprus
|
4.92 | 2025 | 85 | |
| 104 |
Honduras
|
4.92 | 2025 | 84 | |
| 105 |
Switzerland
|
4.87 | 2025 | 83 | |
| 106 |
Paraguay
|
4.8 | 2025 | 82 | |
| 107 |
Kazakhstan
|
4.77 | 2025 | 81 | |
| 108 |
United Kingdom
|
4.75 | 2025 | 80 | |
| 109 |
Norway
|
4.64 | 2025 | 79 | |
| 110 |
Ireland
|
4.63 | 2025 | 78 | |
| 111 |
Uzbekistan
|
4.62 | 2025 | 77 | |
| 112 |
China
|
4.62 | 2025 | 76 | |
| 113 |
Hungary
|
4.52 | 2025 | 75 | |
| 114 |
Maldives
|
4.51 | 2025 | 74 | |
| 115 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
4.43 | 2025 | 73 | |
| 116 |
Turkmenistan
|
4.27 | 2025 | 72 | |
| 117 |
India
|
4.22 | 2025 | 71 | |
| 118 |
United States
|
4.2 | 2025 | 70 | |
| 119 |
Australia
|
4.09 | 2025 | 69 | |
| 120 |
Sri Lanka
|
4.01 | 2025 | 68 | |
| 121 |
Netherlands
|
3.87 | 2025 | 67 | |
| 122 |
Comoros
|
3.82 | 2025 | 66 | |
| 123 |
Bangladesh
|
3.78 | 2025 | 65 | |
| 124 |
Malaysia
|
3.76 | 2025 | 64 | |
| 125 |
Germany
|
3.71 | 2025 | 63 | |
| 126 |
Iceland
|
3.63 | 2025 | 62 | |
| 127 |
Cameroon
|
3.6 | 2025 | 61 | |
| 128 |
North Korea
|
3.55 | 2025 | 60 | |
| 129 |
Bulgaria
|
3.54 | 2025 | 59 | |
| 130 |
Kyrgyzstan
|
3.53 | 2025 | 58 | |
| 131 |
Israel
|
3.49 | 2025 | 57 | |
| 132 |
Burkina Faso
|
3.48 | 2025 | 56 | |
| 133 |
Belarus
|
3.38 | 2025 | 55 | |
| 134 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
3.33 | 2025 | 54 | |
| 135 |
Ethiopia
|
3.32 | 2025 | 53 | |
| 136 |
Ecuador
|
3.31 | 2025 | 52 | |
| 137 |
El Salvador
|
3.3 | 2025 | 51 | |
| 138 |
Jamaica
|
3.29 | 2025 | 50 | |
| 139 |
Oman
|
3.25 | 2025 | 49 | |
| 140 |
Indonesia
|
3.24 | 2025 | 48 | |
| 141 |
Bhutan
|
3.23 | 2025 | 47 | |
| 142 |
Slovenia
|
3.18 | 2025 | 46 | |
| 143 |
Sierra Leone
|
3.15 | 2025 | 45 | |
| 144 |
Nigeria
|
3.06 | 2025 | 44 | |
| 145 |
Myanmar
|
3.05 | 2025 | 43 | |
| 146 |
Madagascar
|
3.04 | 2025 | 42 | |
| 147 |
Saudi Arabia
|
3.04 | 2025 | 41 | |
| 148 |
Ghana
|
2.98 | 2025 | 40 | |
| 149 |
Poland
|
2.98 | 2025 | 39 | |
| 150 |
Bolivia
|
2.97 | 2025 | 38 | |
| 151 |
Malta
|
2.9 | 2025 | 37 | |
| 152 |
Liberia
|
2.88 | 2025 | 36 | |
| 153 |
Mali
|
2.83 | 2025 | 35 | |
| 154 |
Czechia
|
2.83 | 2025 | 34 | |
| 155 |
Singapore
|
2.82 | 2025 | 33 | |
| 156 |
Hong Kong
|
2.8 | 2025 | 32 | |
| 157 |
Uganda
|
2.75 | 2025 | 31 | |
| 158 |
Senegal
|
2.74 | 2025 | 30 | |
| 159 |
South Korea
|
2.68 | 2025 | 29 | |
| 160 |
Guinea-Bissau
|
2.67 | 2025 | 27 | |
| 161 |
Mexico
|
2.67 | 2025 | 27 | |
| 162 |
Guatemala
|
2.6 | 2025 | 26 | |
| 163 |
Papua New Guinea
|
2.57 | 2025 | 25 | |
| 164 |
Japan
|
2.45 | 2025 | 24 | |
| 165 |
Macao
|
2.35 | 2025 | 23 | |
| 166 |
Côte d'Ivoire
|
2.32 | 2025 | 22 | |
| 167 |
Philippines
|
2.24 | 2025 | 21 | |
| 168 |
Kuwait
|
2.18 | 2025 | 20 | |
| 169 |
United Arab Emirates
|
2.17 | 2025 | 19 | |
| 170 |
Russia
|
2.13 | 2025 | 18 | |
| 171 |
Tonga
|
2.01 | 2025 | 17 | |
| 172 |
Togo
|
2 | 2025 | 16 | |
| 173 |
Cuba
|
1.75 | 2025 | 15 | |
| 174 |
Timor-Leste
|
1.59 | 2025 | 14 | |
| 175 |
Benin
|
1.59 | 2025 | 13 | |
| 176 |
Tanzania
|
1.57 | 2025 | 12 | |
| 177 |
Vietnam
|
1.52 | 2025 | 11 | |
| 178 |
Moldova
|
1.51 | 2025 | 10 | |
| 179 |
Solomon Islands
|
1.43 | 2025 | 9 | |
| 180 |
Laos
|
1.19 | 2025 | 8 | |
| 181 |
Bahrain
|
1.1 | 2025 | 7 | |
| 182 |
Chad
|
1.06 | 2025 | 6 | |
| 183 |
Burundi
|
0.92 | 2025 | 5 | |
| 184 |
Thailand
|
0.78 | 2025 | 4 | |
| 185 |
Niger
|
0.39 | 2025 | 3 | |
| 186 |
Cambodia
|
0.26 | 2025 | 2 | |
| 187 |
Qatar
|
0.13 | 2025 | 1 |
The share of the labor force that is unemployed, on the ILO definition: a person counts as unemployed if they held no job in the reference period, actively looked for one and were available to start work. People who are not looking for work are not part of the labor force, so in countries with mass withdrawal from the labor force low unemployment does not mean high employment; the employment ratio and labor force participation fill in the rest of the picture.
Important: The data are ILO modeled estimates harmonized to a common definition; they can differ from the national figures of employment services.
The unemployment rate at ages 15–24 — almost always two to three times the overall rate.
Labor 1991–2025 Female unemploymentThe unemployment rate of the female part of the labor force.
Labor 1991–2025 Male unemploymentThe share of men in the labor force who have no job and are looking for one.
Labor 1991–2025 Employment-to-population ratioThe share of the population aged 15 and over that actually works.