Unemployment Rate by Country
The Unemployment Rate by Country ranking compares nations by their year-over-year change in unemployment, ranking those with the largest reductions higher, as lower rates reflect healthier job markets and greater economic stability.
Saint Lucia ranks #1 in 2023, showing a positive change from 15.93 to 11.09. Sudan takes #2 with a positive change from 11.04 to 7.53, and Costa Rica is #3, showing a positive change from 11.33 to 8.33.
Meanwhile, Lithuania, Peru, and Sri Lanka are at the bottom of the ranking. Lithuania shows a negative change from 5.96 to 6.84, Peru sees a negative change from 3.85 to 4.90, and Sri Lanka has a negative change from 4.53 to 6.00.
| Rank | Country | Most Recent Year | Previous Year | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Lucia | 11.09% (2023) | 15.93% (2022) | -4.84 pp |
| 2 | Sudan | 7.53% (2022) | 11.04% (2021) | -3.51 pp |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 8.33% (2023) | 11.33% (2022) | -3.00 pp |
| 4 | Bhutan | 3.13% (2023) | 5.95% (2022) | -2.82 pp |
| 5 | Rwanda | 12.35% (2023) | 15.08% (2022) | -2.73 pp |
| 6 | Honduras | 6.07% (2023) | 8.77% (2022) | -2.70 pp |
| 7 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.67% (2023) | 12.66% (2022) | -1.99 pp |
| 8 | Saudi Arabia | 4.01% (2023) | 5.59% (2022) | -1.58 pp |
| 9 | Panama | 6.54% (2023) | 8.09% (2022) | -1.54 pp |
| 10 | Greece | 11.07% (2023) | 12.43% (2022) | -1.36 pp |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 8.76% (2023) | 10.09% (2022) | -1.33 pp |
| 12 | North Macedonia | 13.17% (2023) | 14.48% (2022) | -1.30 pp |
| 13 | Brazil | 7.95% (2023) | 9.23% (2022) | -1.28 pp |
| 14 | South Africa | 32.10% (2023) | 33.27% (2022) | -1.17 pp |
| 15 | Türkiye | 9.39% (2023) | 10.47% (2022) | -1.08 pp |
| 16 | Paraguay | 5.79% (2023) | 6.76% (2022) | -0.96 pp |
| 17 | Colombia | 9.59% (2023) | 10.55% (2022) | -0.95 pp |
| 18 | Croatia | 6.09% (2023) | 6.96% (2022) | -0.87 pp |
| 19 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 18.57% (2023) | 19.42% (2022) | -0.84 pp |
| 20 | Russia | 3.08% (2023) | 3.87% (2022) | -0.79 pp |
| 21 | Mauritius | 5.57% (2023) | 6.32% (2022) | -0.75 pp |
| 22 | Nigeria | 3.07% (2023) | 3.82% (2022) | -0.75 pp |
| 23 | Spain | 12.18% (2023) | 12.92% (2022) | -0.74 pp |
| 24 | United Arab Emirates | 2.15% (2023) | 2.87% (2022) | -0.72 pp |
| 25 | Cyprus | 6.10% (2023) | 6.81% (2022) | -0.71 pp |
| 26 | Mongolia | 5.50% (2023) | 6.21% (2022) | -0.71 pp |
| 27 | Guatemala | 2.34% (2023) | 3.05% (2022) | -0.71 pp |
| 28 | Argentina | 6.14% (2023) | 6.81% (2022) | -0.67 pp |
| 29 | India | 4.17% (2023) | 4.82% (2022) | -0.65 pp |
| 30 | Algeria | 11.70% (2023) | 12.35% (2022) | -0.65 pp |
| 31 | Bahamas | 8.64% (2023) | 9.27% (2022) | -0.63 pp |
| 32 | Libya | 18.75% (2023) | 19.28% (2022) | -0.53 pp |
| 33 | Suriname | 7.63% (2023) | 8.16% (2022) | -0.53 pp |
| 34 | Bolivia | 3.02% (2023) | 3.55% (2022) | -0.53 pp |
| 35 | Belize | 8.27% (2023) | 8.76% (2022) | -0.50 pp |
| 36 | Mexico | 2.77% (2023) | 3.26% (2022) | -0.49 pp |
| 37 | Barbados | 7.88% (2023) | 8.37% (2022) | -0.49 pp |
| 38 | Morocco | 9.04% (2023) | 9.49% (2022) | -0.45 pp |
| 39 | Italy | 7.63% (2023) | 8.07% (2022) | -0.44 pp |
| 40 | Philippines | 2.22% (2023) | 2.60% (2022) | -0.38 pp |
| 41 | Slovenia | 3.65% (2023) | 4.01% (2022) | -0.36 pp |
| 42 | Latvia | 6.47% (2023) | 6.82% (2022) | -0.35 pp |
| 43 | Namibia | 19.37% (2023) | 19.70% (2022) | -0.33 pp |
| 44 | China | 4.67% (2023) | 4.98% (2022) | -0.31 pp |
| 45 | Slovakia | 5.84% (2023) | 6.14% (2022) | -0.30 pp |
| 46 | Cabo Verde | 11.97% (2023) | 12.25% (2022) | -0.28 pp |
| 47 | Eswatini | 35.09% (2023) | 35.36% (2022) | -0.27 pp |
| 48 | Yemen | 17.09% (2023) | 17.36% (2022) | -0.27 pp |
| 49 | Iceland | 3.52% (2023) | 3.79% (2022) | -0.27 pp |
| 50 | Ecuador | 3.51% (2023) | 3.76% (2022) | -0.25 pp |
| 51 | Nicaragua | 4.72% (2023) | 4.96% (2022) | -0.25 pp |
| 52 | Botswana | 23.38% (2023) | 23.62% (2022) | -0.23 pp |
| 53 | Jordan | 17.97% (2023) | 18.20% (2022) | -0.23 pp |
| 54 | Lesotho | 16.46% (2023) | 16.69% (2022) | -0.23 pp |
| 55 | Montenegro | 14.62% (2023) | 14.85% (2022) | -0.23 pp |
| 56 | Venezuela | 5.49% (2023) | 5.71% (2022) | -0.22 pp |
| 57 | Nepal | 10.63% (2023) | 10.84% (2022) | -0.22 pp |
| 58 | Ireland | 4.29% (2023) | 4.50% (2022) | -0.21 pp |
| 59 | Congo | 19.90% (2023) | 20.11% (2022) | -0.21 pp |
| 60 | Thailand | 0.73% (2023) | 0.94% (2022) | -0.21 pp |
| 61 | Tunisia | 15.11% (2023) | 15.30% (2022) | -0.19 pp |
| 62 | South Korea | 2.68% (2023) | 2.86% (2022) | -0.18 pp |
| 63 | Maldives | 4.24% (2023) | 4.42% (2022) | -0.18 pp |
| 64 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.21% (2023) | 4.38% (2022) | -0.17 pp |
| 65 | Bahrain | 1.15% (2023) | 1.33% (2022) | -0.17 pp |
| 66 | Serbia | 8.27% (2023) | 8.44% (2022) | -0.17 pp |
| 67 | Indonesia | 3.31% (2023) | 3.46% (2022) | -0.15 pp |
| 68 | Djibouti | 26.15% (2023) | 26.31% (2022) | -0.15 pp |
| 69 | Singapore | 3.44% (2023) | 3.59% (2022) | -0.15 pp |
| 70 | Kenya | 5.57% (2023) | 5.71% (2022) | -0.14 pp |
| 71 | Bangladesh | 4.45% (2023) | 4.59% (2022) | -0.14 pp |
| 72 | Armenia | 13.25% (2023) | 13.38% (2022) | -0.13 pp |
| 73 | Fiji | 4.32% (2023) | 4.45% (2022) | -0.12 pp |
| 74 | Oman | 3.18% (2023) | 3.30% (2022) | -0.12 pp |
| 75 | Gabon | 20.28% (2023) | 20.40% (2022) | -0.12 pp |
| 76 | Madagascar | 3.07% (2023) | 3.19% (2022) | -0.12 pp |
| 77 | Belarus | 3.46% (2023) | 3.57% (2022) | -0.11 pp |
| 78 | Georgia | 11.54% (2023) | 11.65% (2022) | -0.11 pp |
| 79 | Somalia | 18.94% (2023) | 19.05% (2022) | -0.11 pp |
| 80 | Afghanistan | 13.99% (2023) | 14.10% (2022) | -0.11 pp |
| 81 | Eritrea | 5.59% (2023) | 5.70% (2022) | -0.11 pp |
| 82 | Cuba | 1.72% (2023) | 1.82% (2022) | -0.10 pp |
| 83 | Uganda | 2.79% (2023) | 2.89% (2022) | -0.10 pp |
| 84 | Israel | 3.60% (2023) | 3.70% (2022) | -0.10 pp |
| 85 | Zambia | 5.91% (2023) | 6.00% (2022) | -0.09 pp |
| 86 | Tajikistan | 11.55% (2023) | 11.63% (2022) | -0.09 pp |
| 87 | Equatorial Guinea | 8.37% (2023) | 8.46% (2022) | -0.09 pp |
| 88 | Mauritania | 10.45% (2023) | 10.53% (2022) | -0.09 pp |
| 89 | Syria | 13.19% (2023) | 13.27% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 90 | Central African Republic | 5.88% (2023) | 5.96% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 91 | Haiti | 14.56% (2023) | 14.64% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 92 | Switzerland | 4.04% (2023) | 4.12% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 93 | Mozambique | 3.52% (2023) | 3.60% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 94 | Pakistan | 5.41% (2023) | 5.49% (2022) | -0.08 pp |
| 95 | Samoa | 4.98% (2023) | 5.05% (2022) | -0.07 pp |
| 96 | Poland | 2.74% (2023) | 2.81% (2022) | -0.07 pp |
| 97 | South Sudan | 12.48% (2023) | 12.55% (2022) | -0.07 pp |
| 98 | Angola | 14.54% (2023) | 14.60% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 99 | Iraq | 15.45% (2023) | 15.51% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 100 | Malaysia | 3.87% (2023) | 3.93% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 101 | Vanuatu | 5.08% (2023) | 5.14% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 102 | Australia | 3.67% (2023) | 3.73% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 103 | Lebanon | 11.54% (2023) | 11.60% (2022) | -0.06 pp |
| 104 | Germany | 3.07% (2023) | 3.12% (2022) | -0.05 pp |
| 105 | Kyrgyzstan | 3.99% (2023) | 4.04% (2022) | -0.05 pp |
| 106 | Kuwait | 2.13% (2023) | 2.17% (2022) | -0.05 pp |
| 107 | Iran | 9.04% (2023) | 9.09% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 108 | Liberia | 2.93% (2023) | 2.98% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 109 | Belgium | 5.53% (2023) | 5.57% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 110 | Burkina Faso | 5.35% (2023) | 5.39% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 111 | Cameroon | 3.61% (2023) | 3.65% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 112 | Comoros | 3.78% (2023) | 3.82% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 113 | Tonga | 2.26% (2023) | 2.30% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 114 | Kazakhstan | 4.82% (2023) | 4.86% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 115 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 4.48% (2023) | 4.52% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 116 | Senegal | 2.80% (2023) | 2.84% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 117 | Côte d'Ivoire | 2.27% (2023) | 2.31% (2022) | -0.04 pp |
| 118 | Uzbekistan | 4.46% (2023) | 4.49% (2022) | -0.03 pp |
| 119 | Albania | 10.11% (2023) | 10.14% (2022) | -0.03 pp |
| 120 | Benin | 1.66% (2023) | 1.69% (2022) | -0.03 pp |
| 121 | Papua New Guinea | 2.66% (2023) | 2.69% (2022) | -0.03 pp |
| 122 | Solomon Islands | 1.46% (2023) | 1.48% (2022) | -0.03 pp |
| 123 | Myanmar | 3.03% (2023) | 3.06% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 124 | Romania | 5.59% (2023) | 5.61% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 125 | Guinea | 5.24% (2023) | 5.27% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 126 | Chad | 1.07% (2023) | 1.10% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 127 | Sierra Leone | 3.15% (2023) | 3.18% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 128 | Laos | 1.19% (2023) | 1.21% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 129 | Ghana | 3.06% (2023) | 3.08% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 130 | Togo | 1.95% (2023) | 1.97% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 131 | Guinea-Bissau | 2.65% (2023) | 2.67% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 132 | Timor-Leste | 1.52% (2023) | 1.54% (2022) | -0.02 pp |
| 133 | Azerbaijan | 5.64% (2023) | 5.65% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 134 | United States | 3.64% (2023) | 3.65% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 135 | Egypt | 7.33% (2023) | 7.34% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 136 | Turkmenistan | 4.10% (2023) | 4.11% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 137 | Brunei | 5.18% (2023) | 5.19% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 138 | El Salvador | 2.99% (2023) | 3.00% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 139 | Ethiopia | 3.40% (2023) | 3.41% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 140 | Tanzania | 2.58% (2023) | 2.59% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 141 | Cambodia | 0.23% (2023) | 0.23% (2022) | -0.01 pp |
| 142 | Malawi | 5.03% (2023) | 5.04% (2022) | 0.00 pp |
| 143 | Japan | 2.60% (2023) | 2.60% (2022) | +0.00 pp |
| 144 | Qatar | 0.13% (2023) | 0.13% (2022) | +0.00 pp |
| 145 | Burundi | 0.92% (2023) | 0.92% (2022) | +0.01 pp |
| 146 | Niger | 0.43% (2023) | 0.42% (2022) | +0.01 pp |
| 147 | Netherlands | 3.54% (2023) | 3.53% (2022) | +0.01 pp |
| 148 | Guyana | 12.03% (2023) | 12.01% (2022) | +0.01 pp |
| 149 | North Korea | 2.83% (2023) | 2.81% (2022) | +0.03 pp |
| 150 | France | 7.34% (2023) | 7.31% (2022) | +0.03 pp |
| 151 | Bulgaria | 4.32% (2023) | 4.27% (2022) | +0.05 pp |
| 152 | Dominican Republic | 5.56% (2023) | 5.50% (2022) | +0.05 pp |
| 153 | Sao Tome and Principe | 9.07% (2023) | 8.99% (2022) | +0.08 pp |
| 154 | Vietnam | 1.65% (2023) | 1.52% (2022) | +0.12 pp |
| 155 | Canada | 5.42% (2023) | 5.28% (2022) | +0.14 pp |
| 156 | Malta | 3.11% (2023) | 2.92% (2022) | +0.19 pp |
| 157 | Sweden | 7.61% (2023) | 7.39% (2022) | +0.22 pp |
| 158 | United Kingdom | 3.98% (2023) | 3.73% (2022) | +0.25 pp |
| 159 | Austria | 5.26% (2023) | 4.99% (2022) | +0.27 pp |
| 160 | Jamaica | 4.40% (2023) | 4.08% (2022) | +0.32 pp |
| 161 | Norway | 3.57% (2023) | 3.23% (2022) | +0.34 pp |
| 162 | Czech Republic | 2.58% (2023) | 2.22% (2022) | +0.36 pp |
| 163 | Ukraine | 9.83% (2021) | 9.48% (2020) | +0.36 pp |
| 164 | Gambia | 6.48% (2023) | 6.08% (2022) | +0.40 pp |
| 165 | Finland | 7.15% (2023) | 6.72% (2022) | +0.43 pp |
| 166 | New Zealand | 3.73% (2023) | 3.30% (2022) | +0.43 pp |
| 167 | Uruguay | 8.36% (2023) | 7.88% (2022) | +0.48 pp |
| 168 | Hungary | 4.11% (2023) | 3.61% (2022) | +0.50 pp |
| 169 | Portugal | 6.51% (2023) | 6.01% (2022) | +0.50 pp |
| 170 | Mali | 2.96% (2023) | 2.39% (2022) | +0.57 pp |
| 171 | Luxembourg | 5.18% (2023) | 4.59% (2022) | +0.60 pp |
| 172 | Moldova | 1.56% (2023) | 0.90% (2022) | +0.66 pp |
| 173 | Denmark | 5.09% (2023) | 4.43% (2022) | +0.66 pp |
| 174 | Chile | 9.01% (2023) | 8.25% (2022) | +0.76 pp |
| 175 | Estonia | 6.38% (2023) | 5.57% (2022) | +0.81 pp |
| 176 | Lithuania | 6.84% (2023) | 5.96% (2022) | +0.89 pp |
| 177 | Peru | 4.90% (2023) | 3.85% (2022) | +1.05 pp |
| 178 | Sri Lanka | 6.00% (2023) | 4.53% (2022) | +1.47 pp |
Source: World Bank. Only countries with consecutive data in the past 10 years are shown.