Unemployment Rate by Country
What Is Unemployment Rate?
The Unemployment Rate measures the percentage of the labor force that is actively seeking work but cannot find a job. It is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by the total labor force, then multiplying by 100. This indicator shows how well a country’s economy can generate jobs for those willing and able to work.
Why Unemployment Rate Matters to a Country’s Progress
- Reflects economic health, since rising joblessness often signals slower growth or recession.
- Indicates household stability, as high unemployment can reduce incomes and increase poverty rates.
- Guides policy decisions, because governments use it to design labor market interventions and social safety nets.
Ranking Highlights
- Sudan tops the progress rankings in Unemployment Rate, recording a drop from 11.04% to 7.53%. Guyana follows with a reduction from 12.03% to 10.17%, while Belize rounds out the top three, falling from 8.27% to 7.00%.
- Across all 178 countries, the average year-over-year change was -0.05 percentage points% with a median change of -0.04 percentage points%.
- Overall, 108 countries improved in this area while 69 worsened. Click on a country to open the full country scorecard and see how it performs across a range of key indicators.
| Rank | Country | Most Recent Year | Previous Year | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sudan | 7.53% (2022) | 11.04% (2021) | -3.51 pp |
| 2 |  Guyana | 10.17% (2024) | 12.03% (2023) | -1.86 pp |
| 3 |  Belize | 7.00% (2024) | 8.27% (2023) | -1.27 pp |
| 4 |  Sri Lanka | 5.00% (2024) | 6.00% (2023) | -1.00 pp |
| 5 |  Türkiye | 8.45% (2024) | 9.39% (2023) | -0.94 pp |
| 6 |  Greece | 10.13% (2024) | 11.07% (2023) | -0.93 pp |
| 7 |  Serbia | 7.39% (2024) | 8.27% (2023) | -0.88 pp |
| 8 |  Croatia | 5.24% (2024) | 6.09% (2023) | -0.85 pp |
| 9 |  Italy | 6.78% (2024) | 7.63% (2023) | -0.85 pp |
| 10 |  Spain | 11.39% (2024) | 12.18% (2023) | -0.79 pp |
| 11 |  Kyrgyzstan | 3.29% (2024) | 3.99% (2023) | -0.70 pp |
| 12 |  Afghanistan | 13.30% (2024) | 13.99% (2023) | -0.70 pp |
| 13 |  Eswatini | 34.40% (2024) | 35.09% (2023) | -0.69 pp |
| 14 |  Slovakia | 5.23% (2024) | 5.84% (2023) | -0.61 pp |
| 15 |  Russia | 2.53% (2024) | 3.08% (2023) | -0.55 pp |
| 16 |  Equatorial Guinea | 7.82% (2024) | 8.37% (2023) | -0.54 pp |
| 17 |  Montenegro | 14.10% (2024) | 14.62% (2023) | -0.52 pp |
| 18 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 18.06% (2024) | 18.57% (2023) | -0.52 pp |
| 19 |  Cyprus | 5.60% (2024) | 6.10% (2023) | -0.50 pp |
| 20 |  Costa Rica | 7.85% (2024) | 8.33% (2023) | -0.48 pp |
| 21 |  Israel | 3.15% (2024) | 3.60% (2023) | -0.45 pp |
| 22 |  Samoa | 4.55% (2024) | 4.98% (2023) | -0.43 pp |
| 23 |  Iceland | 3.11% (2024) | 3.52% (2023) | -0.41 pp |
| 24 |  Malta | 2.70% (2024) | 3.11% (2023) | -0.41 pp |
| 25 |  Rwanda | 11.99% (2024) | 12.35% (2023) | -0.36 pp |
| 26 |  Barbados | 7.53% (2024) | 7.88% (2023) | -0.35 pp |
| 27 |  Brazil | 7.63% (2024) | 7.95% (2023) | -0.31 pp |
| 28 |  Lesotho | 16.15% (2024) | 16.46% (2023) | -0.31 pp |
| 29 |  Suriname | 7.33% (2024) | 7.63% (2023) | -0.31 pp |
| 30 |  Slovenia | 3.36% (2024) | 3.65% (2023) | -0.29 pp |
| 31 |  Djibouti | 25.88% (2024) | 26.15% (2023) | -0.28 pp |
| 32 |  Algeria | 11.43% (2024) | 11.70% (2023) | -0.27 pp |
| 33 |  Poland | 2.47% (2024) | 2.74% (2023) | -0.27 pp |
| 34 |  Bhutan | 2.86% (2024) | 3.13% (2023) | -0.27 pp |
| 35 |  Singapore | 3.18% (2024) | 3.44% (2023) | -0.26 pp |
| 36 |  Botswana | 23.14% (2024) | 23.38% (2023) | -0.24 pp |
| 37 |  Syria | 12.96% (2024) | 13.19% (2023) | -0.22 pp |
| 38 |  Gabon | 20.06% (2024) | 20.28% (2023) | -0.22 pp |
| 39 |  Namibia | 19.15% (2024) | 19.37% (2023) | -0.22 pp |
| 40 |  Bulgaria | 4.10% (2024) | 4.32% (2023) | -0.21 pp |
| 41 |  Vietnam | 1.43% (2024) | 1.65% (2023) | -0.21 pp |
| 42 |  Romania | 5.38% (2024) | 5.59% (2023) | -0.21 pp |
| 43 |  Zimbabwe | 8.55% (2024) | 8.76% (2023) | -0.21 pp |
| 44 |  Congo | 19.69% (2024) | 19.90% (2023) | -0.20 pp |
| 45 |  Cuba | 1.53% (2024) | 1.72% (2023) | -0.19 pp |
| 46 |  Burkina Faso | 5.17% (2024) | 5.35% (2023) | -0.18 pp |
| 47 |  Bahamas | 8.46% (2024) | 8.64% (2023) | -0.18 pp |
| 48 |  Saint Lucia | 10.93% (2024) | 11.09% (2023) | -0.16 pp |
| 49 |  El Salvador | 2.84% (2024) | 2.99% (2023) | -0.15 pp |
| 50 |  Nicaragua | 4.57% (2024) | 4.72% (2023) | -0.14 pp |
| 51 |  Libya | 18.62% (2024) | 18.75% (2023) | -0.14 pp |
| 52 |  Egypt | 7.20% (2024) | 7.33% (2023) | -0.14 pp |
| 53 |  Kenya | 5.43% (2024) | 5.57% (2023) | -0.13 pp |
| 54 |  Guatemala | 2.22% (2024) | 2.34% (2023) | -0.13 pp |
| 55 |  Portugal | 6.38% (2024) | 6.51% (2023) | -0.13 pp |
| 56 |  Moldova | 1.43% (2024) | 1.56% (2023) | -0.12 pp |
| 57 |  Saudi Arabia | 3.90% (2024) | 4.01% (2023) | -0.11 pp |
| 58 |  Morocco | 8.94% (2024) | 9.04% (2023) | -0.10 pp |
| 59 |  Belarus | 3.36% (2024) | 3.46% (2023) | -0.10 pp |
| 60 |  China | 4.57% (2024) | 4.67% (2023) | -0.10 pp |
| 61 |  Cameroon | 3.52% (2024) | 3.61% (2023) | -0.10 pp |
| 62 |  Mauritius | 5.48% (2024) | 5.57% (2023) | -0.09 pp |
| 63 |  Cabo Verde | 11.88% (2024) | 11.97% (2023) | -0.09 pp |
| 64 |  Nigeria | 2.99% (2024) | 3.07% (2023) | -0.08 pp |
| 65 |  Dominican Republic | 5.47% (2024) | 5.56% (2023) | -0.08 pp |
| 66 |  Somalia | 18.86% (2024) | 18.94% (2023) | -0.08 pp |
| 67 |  Mongolia | 5.42% (2024) | 5.50% (2023) | -0.08 pp |
| 68 |  Angola | 14.46% (2024) | 14.54% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 69 |  Czech Republic | 2.51% (2024) | 2.58% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 70 |  Mauritania | 10.37% (2024) | 10.45% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 71 |  South Korea | 2.60% (2024) | 2.68% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 72 |  Peru | 4.83% (2024) | 4.90% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 73 |  Niger | 0.36% (2024) | 0.43% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 74 |  Tonga | 2.19% (2024) | 2.26% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 75 |  Philippines | 2.15% (2024) | 2.22% (2023) | -0.07 pp |
| 76 |  South Sudan | 12.48% (2023) | 12.55% (2022) | -0.07 pp |
| 77 |  Georgia | 11.48% (2024) | 11.54% (2023) | -0.06 pp |
| 78 |  Lebanon | 11.54% (2023) | 11.60% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 79 |  Madagascar | 3.01% (2024) | 3.07% (2023) | -0.06 pp |
| 80 |  Ghana | 3.01% (2024) | 3.06% (2023) | -0.06 pp |
| 81 |  Mexico | 2.71% (2024) | 2.77% (2023) | -0.05 pp |
| 82 |  Bahrain | 1.10% (2024) | 1.15% (2023) | -0.05 pp |
| 83 |  Liberia | 2.88% (2024) | 2.93% (2023) | -0.05 pp |
| 84 |  Malaysia | 3.83% (2024) | 3.87% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 85 |  Azerbaijan | 5.59% (2024) | 5.64% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 86 |  Thailand | 0.69% (2024) | 0.73% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 87 |  Belgium | 5.49% (2024) | 5.53% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 88 |  Brunei | 5.14% (2024) | 5.18% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 89 |  Japan | 2.56% (2024) | 2.60% (2023) | -0.04 pp |
| 90 |  Eritrea | 5.55% (2024) | 5.59% (2023) | -0.03 pp |
| 91 |  Guinea-Bissau | 2.62% (2024) | 2.65% (2023) | -0.03 pp |
| 92 |  Kazakhstan | 4.79% (2024) | 4.82% (2023) | -0.03 pp |
| 93 |  Sierra Leone | 3.13% (2024) | 3.15% (2023) | -0.03 pp |
| 94 |  Panama | 6.52% (2024) | 6.54% (2023) | -0.03 pp |
| 95 |  Burundi | 0.90% (2024) | 0.92% (2023) | -0.02 pp |
| 96 |  United Arab Emirates | 2.13% (2024) | 2.15% (2023) | -0.02 pp |
| 97 |  Vanuatu | 5.06% (2024) | 5.08% (2023) | -0.02 pp |
| 98 |  Oman | 3.16% (2024) | 3.18% (2023) | -0.02 pp |
| 99 |  Fiji | 4.31% (2024) | 4.32% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 100 |  Guinea | 5.23% (2024) | 5.24% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 101 |  Venezuela | 5.48% (2024) | 5.49% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 102 |  Honduras | 6.06% (2024) | 6.07% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 103 |  Indonesia | 3.30% (2024) | 3.31% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 104 |  Togo | 1.94% (2024) | 1.95% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 105 |  Tanzania | 2.58% (2024) | 2.58% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 106 |  Yemen | 17.09% (2024) | 17.09% (2023) | -0.01 pp |
| 107 |  Ethiopia | 3.40% (2024) | 3.40% (2023) | 0.00 pp |
| 108 |  Qatar | 0.13% (2024) | 0.13% (2023) | 0.00 pp |
| 109 |  Myanmar | 3.03% (2024) | 3.03% (2023) | +0.00 pp |
| 110 |  Mozambique | 3.53% (2024) | 3.52% (2023) | +0.01 pp |
| 111 |  Malawi | 5.05% (2024) | 5.03% (2023) | +0.01 pp |
| 112 |  Chad | 1.09% (2024) | 1.07% (2023) | +0.01 pp |
| 113 |  Colombia | 9.61% (2024) | 9.59% (2023) | +0.01 pp |
| 114 |  Solomon Islands | 1.47% (2024) | 1.46% (2023) | +0.01 pp |
| 115 |  Gambia | 6.50% (2024) | 6.48% (2023) | +0.02 pp |
| 116 |  Kuwait | 2.14% (2024) | 2.13% (2023) | +0.02 pp |
| 117 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 2.29% (2024) | 2.27% (2023) | +0.02 pp |
| 118 |  Central African Republic | 5.90% (2024) | 5.88% (2023) | +0.02 pp |
| 119 |  Jordan | 18.00% (2024) | 17.97% (2023) | +0.03 pp |
| 120 |  North Korea | 2.86% (2024) | 2.83% (2023) | +0.03 pp |
| 121 |  Uzbekistan | 4.49% (2024) | 4.46% (2023) | +0.03 pp |
| 122 |  Laos | 1.22% (2024) | 1.19% (2023) | +0.03 pp |
| 123 |  India | 4.20% (2024) | 4.17% (2023) | +0.03 pp |
| 124 |  France | 7.37% (2024) | 7.34% (2023) | +0.04 pp |
| 125 |  Chile | 9.06% (2024) | 9.01% (2023) | +0.04 pp |
| 126 |  Cambodia | 0.27% (2024) | 0.23% (2023) | +0.05 pp |
| 127 |  Uruguay | 8.40% (2024) | 8.36% (2023) | +0.05 pp |
| 128 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.72% (2024) | 10.67% (2023) | +0.06 pp |
| 129 |  Zambia | 5.96% (2024) | 5.91% (2023) | +0.06 pp |
| 130 |  Netherlands | 3.60% (2024) | 3.54% (2023) | +0.06 pp |
| 131 |  Pakistan | 5.47% (2024) | 5.41% (2023) | +0.06 pp |
| 132 |  Benin | 1.72% (2024) | 1.66% (2023) | +0.06 pp |
| 133 |  Bolivia | 3.09% (2024) | 3.02% (2023) | +0.07 pp |
| 134 |  Switzerland | 4.11% (2024) | 4.04% (2023) | +0.07 pp |
| 135 |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | 4.56% (2024) | 4.48% (2023) | +0.07 pp |
| 136 |  Iraq | 15.52% (2024) | 15.45% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 137 |  Nepal | 10.71% (2024) | 10.63% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 138 |  Papua New Guinea | 2.74% (2024) | 2.66% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 139 |  Ireland | 4.37% (2024) | 4.29% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 140 |  Timor-Leste | 1.60% (2024) | 1.52% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 141 |  Armenia | 13.33% (2024) | 13.25% (2023) | +0.08 pp |
| 142 |  Tajikistan | 11.64% (2024) | 11.55% (2023) | +0.09 pp |
| 143 |  Comoros | 3.88% (2024) | 3.78% (2023) | +0.10 pp |
| 144 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 9.17% (2024) | 9.07% (2023) | +0.10 pp |
| 145 |  Mali | 3.06% (2024) | 2.96% (2023) | +0.10 pp |
| 146 |  United Kingdom | 4.11% (2024) | 3.98% (2023) | +0.13 pp |
| 147 |  Albania | 10.25% (2024) | 10.11% (2023) | +0.14 pp |
| 148 |  Iran | 9.19% (2024) | 9.04% (2023) | +0.15 pp |
| 149 |  Uganda | 2.94% (2024) | 2.79% (2023) | +0.15 pp |
| 150 |  Austria | 5.44% (2024) | 5.26% (2023) | +0.17 pp |
| 151 |  Senegal | 2.99% (2024) | 2.80% (2023) | +0.19 pp |
| 152 |  Turkmenistan | 4.30% (2024) | 4.10% (2023) | +0.21 pp |
| 153 |  Bangladesh | 4.68% (2024) | 4.45% (2023) | +0.23 pp |
| 154 |  North Macedonia | 13.42% (2024) | 13.17% (2023) | +0.24 pp |
| 155 |  Latvia | 6.72% (2024) | 6.47% (2023) | +0.25 pp |
| 156 |  Paraguay | 6.09% (2024) | 5.79% (2023) | +0.30 pp |
| 157 |  Hungary | 4.43% (2024) | 4.11% (2023) | +0.33 pp |
| 158 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 4.55% (2024) | 4.21% (2023) | +0.34 pp |
| 159 |  Germany | 3.41% (2024) | 3.07% (2023) | +0.34 pp |
| 160 |  Ukraine | 9.83% (2021) | 9.48% (2020) | +0.36 pp |
| 161 |  Maldives | 4.64% (2024) | 4.24% (2023) | +0.40 pp |
| 162 |  Norway | 3.97% (2024) | 3.57% (2023) | +0.40 pp |
| 163 |  Australia | 4.07% (2024) | 3.67% (2023) | +0.40 pp |
| 164 |  United States | 4.11% (2024) | 3.64% (2023) | +0.47 pp |
| 165 |  Jamaica | 4.89% (2024) | 4.40% (2023) | +0.48 pp |
| 166 |  Denmark | 5.59% (2024) | 5.09% (2023) | +0.49 pp |
| 167 |  Haiti | 15.06% (2024) | 14.56% (2023) | +0.50 pp |
| 168 |  Lithuania | 7.50% (2024) | 6.84% (2023) | +0.66 pp |
| 169 |  Luxembourg | 5.94% (2024) | 5.18% (2023) | +0.75 pp |
| 170 |  Sweden | 8.53% (2024) | 7.61% (2023) | +0.92 pp |
| 171 |  Canada | 6.45% (2024) | 5.42% (2023) | +1.04 pp |
| 172 |  South Africa | 33.17% (2024) | 32.10% (2023) | +1.07 pp |
| 173 |  Tunisia | 16.20% (2024) | 15.11% (2023) | +1.10 pp |
| 174 |  Finland | 8.26% (2024) | 7.15% (2023) | +1.11 pp |
| 175 |  New Zealand | 4.87% (2024) | 3.73% (2023) | +1.14 pp |
| 176 | Ecuador | 4.77% (2024) | 3.51% (2023) | +1.26 pp |
| 177 |  Estonia | 7.83% (2024) | 6.38% (2023) | +1.45 pp |
| 178 |  Argentina | 7.88% (2024) | 6.14% (2023) | +1.74 pp |
Source: World Bank. Only countries with complete data (both points within the past 10 years) are shown.
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As an Amazon Associate, World Scorecard earns from qualifying purchases. These popular, highly rated books cover global issues — from economic development and governance to education, social well-being, and environmental sustainability.