Countries with the highest and lowest unemployment rates – click to enlarge

Source: The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2015-2017

Countries with less than 1 million inhabitants are not included.

Countries with the lowest unemployment rates:

1. Cambodia 0.3% 2. Qatar 0.6% 3. Thailand 0.7% 4. Benin 1.0% 5. Belarus 1.0 % 6. Laos 1.5% 7. Madagascar 2.1% 8. Kuwait 2.1% 9. Cuba 2.2% 10. Singapore 2.2% 11. Vietnam 2.3% 12. Guatemala 2.4% 13. Tajikistan 2.4% 14. Papua New Guinea 2.5% 15. Hong Kong 2.6% 16. Niger 2.6% 17. Rwanda 2.7% 18. Liberia 2.8% 19. Guinea 2.8% 20. Czech Republic 2.8% 21. Japan 2.9% 22. Switzerland 3.0% 23. Nepal 3.3% 24. Malaysia 3.4% 25. United Arab Emirates 3.6% 26. Mexico 3.6% 27. Bahrain 3.8% 28. South Korea 3.8% 29. Taiwan 3.8% 30. Germany 3.8%

Countries with the highest unemployment rates:

1. Zimbabwe 95.0% 2. Burkina Faso 77.0% 3. Syria 50.0% 4. Senegal 48.0% 5. Haiti 40.6% 6. Kenya 40.0% 7. Congo, Republic of the 36.0% 8. Afghanistan 35.0% 9. Kosovo 34.8% 10. Libya 30.0% 11. Lesotho 28.1% 12. Namibia 28.1% 13. Gabon 28.0% 14. Swaziland 28.0% 15. South Africa 27.6% 16. Yemen 27.0% 17. Venezuela 26.4% 18. North Korea 25.6% 19. Macedonia 23.4% 20. Mozambique 22.4% 21. Greece 22.3% 22. Bosnia and Herzegovina 20.5% 23. Malawi 20.4% 24. Botswana 20.0% 25. Sudan 19.6% 26. Armenia 18.9% 27. Ethiopia 17.5% 28. Montenegro 17.1% 29. Spain 17.1% 30. Jordan 16.5%

Map created by mapchart.net and piktochart.com

Unemployment is when a person is not in paid employment or self-employed but without work, available for work, or have taken steps to find work during a given period. This is usually reflected in a country’s unemployment rate, expressed as a percentage. It is most often measured in numbers of unemployed individuals as a percentage of the labour force, meaning the total of unemployed persons plus those in paid employment. Typically, the lower the percentage, the better the economy is doing because more of the workforce is employed; however, it is a lagging indicator, so it only responds to the economy, but does not affect it.

One challenge with comparing the unemployment rate of a country is that it does not directly relate to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). That means a country could have a high GDP but still have a small percentage of the workforce employed. Another challenge with comparing those rates is that countries may use different methods of calculation and presentation. They may also choose different definitions of unemployment or use different age limits. Yet, international organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have created systems to harmonize unemployment rates for the purpose of international comparison.

Learn for yourself how countries compare by country in the map and charts.

CountryUnemployment RateGNI per capitaExtreme Poverty RateMedian Income1South Africa28.8$6,44019.67%$4.762Palestine26.4$4,2200.89%$11.423Djibouti26.1$3,30014.27%$4.094Kosovo25.5$8.115Grenada22.9$9,6306Eswatini22.7$3,68027.53%$2.957Gabon20.4$7,1003.42%$9.678Namibia19.9$4,55015.95%$5.689Jordan19.8$4,4800.1%$13.3910Saint Lucia19.5$9,6804.37%$13.0511Curaçao19.112Libya19$8,43013Somalia18.8$45068.66%$1.5214Botswana17.9$6,94013.09%$4.8415Montenegro17.9$9,3002.19%$14.6216Sudan17.4$67013.62%$3.6617Lesotho16.9$1,27028.5%$3.2418Iraq16.2$5,0401.26%$9.6119Republic of Macedonia15.8$6,1303.32%$12.420Rwanda15.8$85048.97%$2.0721Costa Rica15.1$12,3101.01%$13.9222Tunisia15.1$3,6300.22%$11.3823Bosnia and Herzegovina14.9$6,7700.06%$17.624Spain14.8$29,7400.88%$40.2925Greece14.7$20,1400.14%$24.6126Haiti14.1$1,42020.33%$3.227Colombia13.9$6,1604.94%$7.828New Caledonia13.629São Tomé and Príncipe13.6$2,28035.45%$430Guyana13.5$9,3806.01%$6.0431Yemen13.554.69%$3.4432Nauru13.3$19,470$6.6833Brazil13.2$7,7204.61%$13.4934Uganda12.3$84038.02%$2.4735Armenia12.2$4,5601.08%$6.6236Algeria12$3,6600.32%$8.0437Puerto Rico1238Turkey12$9,8300.36%$16.1839Georgia11.7$4,7403.78%$6.0340Albania11.5$6,1100.87%$13.0841Lebanon11.3$3,450$26.1242Northern Mariana Islands11.243Honduras10.7$2,54014.78%$6.9344Nepal10.7$1,2304.78%$4.245Nigeria10.7$2,10039.2%$2.9546Mauritania10.3$1,7305.35%$5.347Panama10.3$14,0101.22%$21.8548Belize10.2$4,29014.39%$4.9249Serbia10.1$8,4400.04%$13.250Republic of the Congo10$1,63055.65%51Ukraine9.8$4,120$12.652Iran9.70.74%$10.3153Italy9.5$35,7101.39%$40.6754Chile9.3$15,0000.28%$17.0155Morocco9.3$3,3500.6%$7.7156Uruguay9.3$15,8000.1%$20.3857Aruba8.958Bermuda8.9$116,54059Argentina8.7$10,0501.46%$17.2360Sweden8.7$58,8900.69%$50.5761Syria8.634.57%$6.9562Barbados8.4$16,72063Jamaica8.4$4,8001.8%$9.9564Mauritius8.2$10,8600.13%$12.7365Comoros8.1$1,46018.32%$4.3966Egypt7.9$3,5104.07%$5.0767France7.9$43,8800.02%$49.5968India7.9$2,170$3.8969Mongolia7.8$3,7600.24%$8.170Niger7.8$59039.29%$2.1371Dominican Republic7.7$8,2200.57%$10.6372Croatia7.6$17,1500.44%$26.1273Finland7.6$53,6600.06%$51.2674Cyprus7.5$28,1300.02%$43.275Latvia7.5$19,3700.34%$26.9476Venezuela7.5$8.4977Angola7.4$1,77051.4%$3.4278Zimbabwe7.4$1,40039.53%$2.6579Suriname7.2$4,440$8.1480Lithuania7.1$21,6100.9%$30.7181Slovakia6.9$20,2500.17%$24.7682Tajikistan6.9$1,1502.21%$5.3383Ghana6.8$2,36010.7%$3.7384Portugal6.6$23,7300.27%$29.4385Saudi Arabia6.686Austria6.5$52,2100.57%$57.6487Belgium6.3$50,5100.08%$52.6388Marshall Islands6.3$5,050$9.2189Monaco6.390Pakistan6.3$1,5004.29%$4.0791San Marino6.392Estonia6.2$25,9700.23%$34.6593Ireland6.2$74,5200.24%$44.7394Azerbaijan6$4,880$8.0695Iceland6$64,410$56.5296Liberia6$62048.17%$3.197Afghanistan5.698Montserrat5.699Romania5.6$14,1702%$19.03100Guam5.4101Sri Lanka5.4$3,8200.57%$6.59102Vanuatu5.4$3,14014.16%$4.67103Bulgaria5.3$10,7200.79%$20.86104Canada5.3$48,3100.25%$55.42105Luxembourg5.30.28%$69.48106Uzbekistan5.3$1,96010.68%$1.23107Hong Kong5.2$54,450108Nicaragua5.2$2,0103.45%$8.07109Zambia5.2$1,04058.52%$1.57110Australia5.1$56,7600.5%$53.05111Bolivia5.1$3,3603.24%$14.02112Denmark5.1$68,1100.17%$54.08113People's Republic of China5.1$11,8900.2%$10.72114Peru5.1$6,5202.19%$7.93115Switzerland5.1$90,3600.03%$64.35116Guinea5$1,01021.26%$3.8117Israel5$49,5600.24%$33.65118Kenya5$2,01031.25%$3.1119Malawi5$63067.55%$1.53120Brunei4.9121Kazakhstan4.9$8,7200.01%$10.42122Bhutan4.80.66%$8.26123Burkina Faso4.7$86032.82%$3124East Timor4.7$1,94021.03%125Russia4.7$11,6000.03%$17.41126Slovenia4.7$28,240$39.5127Maldives4.6$8,400$15.83128Paraguay4.6$5,3400.95%$12.31129Ecuador4.5$5,9303.58%$9.16130Malaysia4.5$10,9300.01%$21.62131Trinidad and Tobago4.5$15,0700.28%$10.17132Bangladesh4.4$2,6206.62%$3.58133Norway4.4$84,0900.25%$65.3134El Salvador4.3$4,1401.25%$9.89135Fiji4.3$4,8600.21%$6.64136Seychelles4.3$13,2600.4%$19.5137Cayman Islands4.2138Netherlands4.2$56,3700.1%$54.42139Cameroon4.1$1,59022.77%$3.89140Hungary4.1$17,7400.21%$24.76141Kyrgyzstan4.1$1,1800.56%$5.43142Mexico4.1$9,3801.74%$9.55143Jersey4144Turkmenistan41.75%$2.4145Belarus3.9$6,950$17.24146Ethiopia3.9$96019.54%$3.06147Indonesia3.8$4,1402.88%$5.74148New Zealand3.8$45,340149Taiwan3.8$38.27150Togo3.7$98045.29%$3.21151United Kingdom3.7$45,3800.3%$45152United States of America3.7$70,4301%$65.04153Germany3.6$51,040$54.82154South Korea3.6$34,9800.23%$37.62155Mali3.5$87042.26%$3.78156Singapore3.5$64,010157Malta3.4$30,5600.1%$45.71158Mozambique3.4$48062.29%$1.6159Philippines3.4$3,6403.81%$5.3160Poland3.4$16,670$17.24161Laos3.3$2,5209.35%$4.76162Guinea-Bissau3.2$78062.65%$3.31163Sierra Leone3.2$51040.06%$2.96164United Arab Emirates3.1$65.14165Oman2.9166Senegal2.9$1,54027.5%$4.44167Czech Republic2.8$24,0700.01%$34.56168Japan2.8$42,6200.73%$41.49169Tanzania2.8$1,14047.72%$2.33170Isle of Man2.7171Macau2.6172Ivory Coast2.4$2,45022.06%$4.35173Vietnam2.4$3,5601.35%$10.92174Guatemala2.2$4,9406.64%$6.17175Kuwait2.2176Papua New Guinea2$2,79026.18%$2.62177Saint Helena2178Madagascar1.8$50076.55%$1.12179Cuba1.7180Benin1.5$1,37043.38%$3.48181Democratic Republic of the Congo1.5$58070.99%$1.46182Myanmar1.5$1,1400.87%$5.47183Palau1.4184Thailand1.2$7,2600.08%$12.89185Bahrain1.1186Chad1.1$65041.04%$2.88187Burundi1$24079.53%$1.7188Moldova0.8$5,4600.02%$10.52189Solomon Islands0.7$2,30022.94%$3.1190Cambodia0.5$1,550191Qatar0.1$57,120

What country has the highest unemployment rate in the world?

In 2021, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate in the world, at 29.8 percent. Of the 10 countries with the highest unemployment rates, eight were in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Which three countries do you think have the highest unemployment rate?

Top Ten Countries with the Highest Unemployment (World Bank 2020 data):.

Which country has the highest unemployment rate 2024?

Leading the board is South Africa with an unprecedented unemployment rate of 28.8%. Second, Arriving closely is Tuvalu with a staggering 26.6% unemployment rate. Djibouti is positioned third, accounting for a 26.1% unemployment rate, followed by Equatorial Guinea experiencing a rate of 25.0%.

Where is the lowest unemployment rate in the country?

Unemployment Rates for States.