Unemployment rate — all countries

Unemployment rate — Eastern Europe

Unemployment rate in Eastern Europe in 2025 — 2.8%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.08 pp.

2025 2.8% −0.12 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 12.04%1999
Period minimum 2.8%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of labor force

Unemployment rate — Eastern Europe, 1991–202505101519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 5.88%1992: 6.17%1993: 6.96%1994: 8.21%1995: 9.4%1996: 9.88%1997: 10.66%1998: 11.59%1999: 12.04%2000: 11.17%2001: 10.7%2002: 10.17%2003: 9.93%2004: 9.51%2005: 8.7%2006: 8.02%2007: 6.65%2008: 6.32%2009: 8.18%2010: 7.96%2011: 7.49%2012: 6.95%2013: 6.95%2014: 6.73%2015: 6.61%2016: 6.24%2017: 5.73%2018: 5.14%2019: 4.71%2020: 5.58%2021: 5.22%2022: 3.76%2023: 3.31%2024: 2.92%2025: 2.8%
Change over the period: −3.08 pp Annual average: -0.09 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe 2.8%
World 4.79%
Unemployment rate — Eastern Europe, by year Eastern Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 2.8 −0.12 pp
2024 2.92 −0.39 pp
2023 3.31 −0.45 pp
2022 3.76 −1.46 pp
2021 5.22 −0.36 pp
2020 5.58 +0.87 pp
2019 4.71 −0.43 pp
2018 5.14 −0.59 pp
2017 5.73 −0.51 pp
2016 6.24 −0.37 pp
2015 6.61 −0.12 pp
2014 6.73 −0.22 pp
2013 6.95 +0 pp
2012 6.95 −0.54 pp
2011 7.49 −0.48 pp
2010 7.96 −0.22 pp
2009 8.18 +1.87 pp
2008 6.32 −0.33 pp
2007 6.65 −1.37 pp
2006 8.02 −0.68 pp
2005 8.7 −0.81 pp
2004 9.51 −0.42 pp
2003 9.93 −0.24 pp
2002 10.17 −0.53 pp
2001 10.7 −0.47 pp
2000 11.17 −0.87 pp
1999 12.04 +0.44 pp
1998 11.59 +0.94 pp
1997 10.66 +0.77 pp
1996 9.88 +0.48 pp
1995 9.4 +1.2 pp
1994 8.21 +1.24 pp
1993 6.96 +0.79 pp
1992 6.17 +0.29 pp
1991 5.88

About the indicator

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.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.