Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
40.0%
Palestine
Lowest
0.2%
Cambodia
Median
5.8%
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
8,176
What the numbers show
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 40.0% in Palestine; the lowest is 0.2% in Cambodia.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.8%, and the mean is 8.2%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 173.
Over the past decade 64 countries rose and 122 fell. The largest increase was in Myanmar (up 289.6%), and the largest decrease in Croatia (down 69.7%).
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palestine | 40.0% | 2022 | up 54.2% | volatile |
| 2 | Eswatini | 36.0% | 2025 | up 42.2% | rising |
| 3 | Djibouti | 35.4% | 2025 | down 1.9% | falling |
| 4 | South Africa | 34.0% | 2025 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 5 | Yemen | 30.3% | 2025 | up 1.7% | volatile |
| 6 | Iraq | 30.1% | 2025 | up 35.2% | volatile |
| 7 | Gabon | 28.6% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 8 | Botswana | 27.9% | 2025 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 9 | Syria | 26.1% | 2025 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 10 | Libya | 25.2% | 2025 | down 2.7% | flat |
| 11 | Afghanistan | 25.0% | 2025 | up 115.7% | rising |
| 12 | Somalia | 24.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | flat |
| 13 | Jordan | 23.3% | 2025 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 14 | Congo | 21.1% | 2025 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 15 | Algeria | 20.6% | 2025 | up 23.3% | falling |
| 16 | Tunisia | 20.4% | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 17 | Lesotho | 18.4% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 18 | Namibia | 18.4% | 2025 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 19 | Haiti | 18.0% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 20 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 16.0% | 2025 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 21 | Iran | 15.6% | 2025 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 22 | Egypt | 15.3% | 2025 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 23 | Mauritania | 14.7% | 2025 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 24 | Lebanon | 14.5% | 2023 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 25 | Angola | 14.3% | 2025 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 26 | Montenegro | 14.2% | 2025 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 27 | Sudan | 14.0% | 2022 | down 52.4% | flat |
| 28 | Armenia | 13.8% | 2025 | down 28.4% | rising |
| 29 | South Sudan | 13.6% | 2023 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 30 | Belize | 13.5% | 2025 | up 21.3% | falling |
| 31 | Guyana | 13.4% | 2025 | down 13.1% | flat |
| 32 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13.3% | 2025 | down 56.6% | falling |
| 33 | Rwanda | 12.8% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 34 | French Polynesia | 12.5% | 2025 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 35 | United States Virgin Islands | 12.2% | 2025 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 36 | New Caledonia | 12.1% | 2025 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 37 | Spain | 11.9% | 2025 | down 49.3% | falling |
| 38 | Nepal | 11.8% | 2025 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 39 | Turkey | 11.6% | 2025 | down 8.0% | rising |
| 40 | Cape Verde | 11.4% | 2025 | down 7.7% | falling |
| 41 | Greece | 11.3% | 2025 | down 60.9% | rising |
| 42 | Albania | 11.2% | 2025 | down 34.7% | falling |
| 43 | Oman | 11.1% | 2025 | down 12.0% | rising |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 11.1% | 2025 | down 56.1% | falling |
| 45 | Suriname | 10.8% | 2025 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 46 | Saint Lucia | 10.7% | 2025 | down 52.9% | falling |
| 47 | Georgia | 10.7% | 2025 | down 24.0% | rising |
| 48 | Morocco | 10.6% | 2025 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 49 | Colombia | 10.5% | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 50 | Panama | 10.4% | 2025 | up 95.7% | rising |
| 51 | Ukraine | 10.2% | 2021 | up 51.4% | rising |
| 52 | Saudi Arabia | 9.7% | 2025 | down 61.9% | rising |
| 53 | Chile | 9.6% | 2025 | up 31.5% | rising |
| 54 | Zimbabwe | 9.4% | 2025 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 55 | Equatorial Guinea | 9.3% | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 56 | Sao Tome and Principe | 9.3% | 2025 | down 22.7% | falling |
| 57 | Bahamas | 9.2% | 2025 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 58 | Finland | 8.9% | 2025 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 59 | Uruguay | 8.7% | 2025 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 60 | Sweden | 8.6% | 2025 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 61 | Argentina | 8.1% | 2025 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 62 | Estonia | 8.0% | 2025 | up 27.0% | falling |
| 63 | Costa Rica | 7.8% | 2025 | down 24.7% | rising |
| 64 | Dominican Republic | 7.7% | 2025 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 65 | Mauritius | 7.6% | 2025 | down 29.2% | falling |
| 66 | France | 7.5% | 2025 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 67 | Serbia | 7.5% | 2025 | down 60.0% | falling |
| 68 | Brazil | 7.3% | 2025 | down 28.9% | rising |
| 69 | Italy | 7.3% | 2025 | down 42.3% | falling |
| 70 | Samoa | 7.3% | 2025 | down 37.5% | rising |
| 71 | Mozambique | 7.2% | 2025 | up 95.6% | volatile |
| 72 | Central African Republic | 7.0% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 73 | Barbados | 7.0% | 2025 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 74 | Pakistan | 6.9% | 2025 | up 12.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Fiji | 6.9% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 76 | Kenya | 6.7% | 2025 | up 129.0% | rising |
| 77 | Eritrea | 6.7% | 2025 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 78 | Uzbekistan | 6.6% | 2025 | up 34.5% | volatile |
| 79 | Canada | 6.6% | 2025 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 80 | Portugal | 6.5% | 2025 | down 48.4% | rising |
| 81 | Sri Lanka | 6.5% | 2025 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 82 | Luxembourg | 6.5% | 2025 | down 10.1% | rising |
| 83 | Honduras | 6.4% | 2025 | down 28.8% | rising |
| 84 | Lithuania | 6.3% | 2025 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 85 | Azerbaijan | 6.3% | 2025 | up 7.6% | falling |
| 86 | Vanuatu | 6.2% | 2025 | down 0.3% | falling |
| 87 | Zambia | 6.2% | 2025 | up 0.9% | falling |
| 88 | Gambia | 6.1% | 2025 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 89 | Paraguay | 6.1% | 2025 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 90 | Kuwait | 6.0% | 2025 | up 28.7% | volatile |
| 91 | Malawi | 6.0% | 2025 | up 2.6% | flat |
| 92 | Venezuela | 5.8% | 2025 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 93 | Peru | 5.8% | 2025 | up 72.7% | flat |
| 94 | Slovakia | 5.8% | 2025 | down 55.2% | falling |
| 95 | Denmark | 5.7% | 2025 | down 12.4% | falling |
| 96 | Belgium | 5.6% | 2025 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 97 | Romania | 5.6% | 2025 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 98 | Latvia | 5.5% | 2025 | down 36.1% | falling |
| 99 | Kazakhstan | 5.5% | 2025 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 100 | Cyprus | 5.5% | 2025 | down 63.3% | rising |
| 101 | Guam | 5.4% | 2025 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 102 | New Zealand | 5.3% | 2025 | down 10.6% | falling |
| 103 | Brunei | 5.3% | 2025 | down 38.8% | flat |
| 104 | Austria | 5.2% | 2025 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 105 | Nicaragua | 5.2% | 2025 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 106 | Croatia | 5.1% | 2025 | down 69.7% | falling |
| 107 | Puerto Rico | 5.1% | 2025 | down 47.9% | falling |
| 108 | Switzerland | 5.0% | 2025 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 109 | Guinea | 5.0% | 2025 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 110 | Ethiopia | 4.5% | 2025 | up 39.4% | rising |
| 111 | Ireland | 4.5% | 2025 | down 49.2% | volatile |
| 112 | Mongolia | 4.5% | 2025 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 113 | United Kingdom | 4.4% | 2025 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 114 | Comoros | 4.4% | 2025 | down 4.2% | falling |
| 115 | Hungary | 4.4% | 2025 | down 37.5% | falling |
| 116 | Norway | 4.3% | 2025 | up 8.6% | falling |
| 117 | Jamaica | 4.3% | 2025 | down 62.6% | falling |
| 118 | Burkina Faso | 4.3% | 2025 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 119 | United Arab Emirates | 4.2% | 2025 | down 1.0% | rising |
| 120 | United States | 4.2% | 2025 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 121 | Cameroon | 4.1% | 2025 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 122 | India | 4.1% | 2025 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 123 | Ecuador | 4.1% | 2025 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 124 | Bhutan | 4.1% | 2025 | up 25.1% | rising |
| 125 | Netherlands | 4.1% | 2025 | down 43.9% | falling |
| 126 | Maldives | 4.1% | 2025 | down 36.6% | volatile |
| 127 | Australia | 4.0% | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 128 | China | 4.0% | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 129 | Kyrgyzstan | 4.0% | 2025 | down 11.7% | rising |
| 129 | Tajikistan | 4.0% | 2025 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 131 | Nigeria | 3.9% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 132 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3.9% | 2025 | up 32.0% | volatile |
| 133 | Malaysia | 3.9% | 2025 | up 13.8% | flat |
| 134 | Bangladesh | 3.7% | 2025 | down 49.8% | rising |
| 135 | North Korea | 3.7% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 136 | Bahrain | 3.6% | 2025 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 137 | El Salvador | 3.6% | 2025 | up 2.8% | falling |
| 138 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 3.5% | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 139 | Myanmar | 3.5% | 2025 | up 289.6% | volatile |
| 140 | Germany | 3.4% | 2025 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 141 | Slovenia | 3.4% | 2025 | down 66.1% | falling |
| 142 | Israel | 3.4% | 2025 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 143 | Iceland | 3.4% | 2025 | down 17.3% | flat |
| 144 | Madagascar | 3.3% | 2025 | up 83.9% | falling |
| 145 | Czechia | 3.3% | 2025 | down 45.5% | falling |
| 146 | Bolivia | 3.3% | 2025 | down 12.7% | rising |
| 147 | Uganda | 3.3% | 2025 | up 2.6% | falling |
| 148 | Bulgaria | 3.3% | 2025 | down 60.9% | falling |
| 149 | Guatemala | 3.3% | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 150 | Ghana | 3.2% | 2025 | down 51.0% | falling |
| 151 | Poland | 3.1% | 2025 | down 58.8% | volatile |
| 152 | Senegal | 3.1% | 2025 | down 57.5% | rising |
| 153 | Indonesia | 3.0% | 2025 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 154 | Mali | 3.0% | 2025 | up 126.3% | rising |
| 155 | Singapore | 2.9% | 2025 | down 27.8% | flat |
| 156 | Malta | 2.8% | 2025 | down 47.6% | falling |
| 157 | Mexico | 2.7% | 2025 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 158 | South Korea | 2.7% | 2025 | down 22.7% | rising |
| 159 | Belarus | 2.7% | 2025 | down 37.0% | volatile |
| 160 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.6% | 2025 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 161 | Tonga | 2.5% | 2025 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 162 | Turkmenistan | 2.5% | 2025 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 163 | Philippines | 2.5% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 164 | Japan | 2.3% | 2025 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 165 | Hong Kong | 2.3% | 2025 | down 28.6% | flat |
| 166 | Tanzania | 2.2% | 2025 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 167 | Liberia | 2.2% | 2025 | up 8.3% | falling |
| 168 | Russia | 2.2% | 2025 | down 58.7% | falling |
| 169 | Sierra Leone | 2.1% | 2025 | down 40.6% | falling |
| 170 | Papua New Guinea | 2.1% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 171 | Macao | 2.1% | 2025 | up 27.9% | falling |
| 172 | Togo | 2.0% | 2025 | up 20.2% | falling |
| 173 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.9% | 2025 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 174 | Cuba | 1.9% | 2025 | down 26.7% | volatile |
| 175 | East Timor | 1.6% | 2025 | down 46.7% | falling |
| 176 | Solomon Islands | 1.4% | 2025 | up 86.4% | falling |
| 177 | Benin | 1.4% | 2025 | down 20.1% | volatile |
| 178 | Vietnam | 1.4% | 2025 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 179 | Moldova | 1.2% | 2025 | down 8.3% | volatile |
| 180 | Laos | 0.9% | 2025 | down 53.7% | falling |
| 181 | Thailand | 0.8% | 2025 | up 34.3% | volatile |
| 182 | Burundi | 0.8% | 2025 | down 26.4% | falling |
| 183 | Chad | 0.7% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 184 | Qatar | 0.4% | 2025 | down 54.9% | volatile |
| 185 | Niger | 0.3% | 2025 | down 33.6% | volatile |
| 186 | Cambodia | 0.2% | 2025 | down 49.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Arab World 16.0%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 13.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.1%
- Other small states 9.5%
- Caribbean small states 8.9%
- Small states 8.7%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 8.1%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 8.1%
- Euro area 6.6%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 6.6%
- Latin America & Caribbean 6.5%
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.