Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) by country
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.
Countries reporting
179
Highest
37.1%
Syria
Lowest
0.2%
Cambodia
Median
6.0%
Years covered
66
1960–2025
Data points
5,379
What the numbers show
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) is currently reported for 179 countries. The highest value is 37.1% in Syria; the lowest is 0.2% in Cambodia.
The median across all reporting countries is 6.0%, and the mean is 7.9%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 178.
Over the past decade 71 countries rose and 105 fell. The largest increase was in Nepal (up 996.7%), and the largest decrease in Niger (down 92.2%).
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syria | 37.1% | 2011 | up 45.2% | volatile |
| 2 | Eswatini | 36.6% | 2023 | up 49.8% | rising |
| 3 | South Africa | 34.4% | 2024 | up 27.5% | falling |
| 4 | Palestine | 29.7% | 2025 | down 13.6% | rising |
| 5 | Iraq | 28.3% | 2021 | up 127.8% | rising |
| 6 | Botswana | 26.4% | 2024 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 7 | Yemen | 26.1% | 2014 | down 34.0% | falling |
| 8 | Jordan | 25.0% | 2024 | up 20.8% | flat |
| 9 | French Polynesia | 22.8% | 2012 | up 70.3% | rising |
| 10 | Lesotho | 21.7% | 2024 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 11 | Algeria | 20.7% | 2017 | up 12.9% | falling |
| 12 | Tunisia | 20.4% | 2023 | down 11.1% | rising |
| 13 | Curacao | 20.3% | 2020 | up 84.4% | rising |
| 14 | Namibia | 18.6% | 2018 | down 56.8% | flat |
| 15 | Malawi | 18.0% | 2024 | up 208.2% | volatile |
| 16 | Guyana | 17.7% | 2021 | — | falling |
| 17 | Haiti | 17.3% | 2012 | down 37.3% | rising |
| 18 | Morocco | 17.1% | 2022 | up 72.6% | falling |
| 19 | Puerto Rico | 15.7% | 2020 | up 23.3% | falling |
| 20 | Iran | 14.3% | 2024 | down 27.8% | falling |
| 21 | Sudan | 14.1% | 2022 | down 54.2% | rising |
| 22 | Belize | 13.6% | 2019 | up 4.4% | falling |
| 23 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13.3% | 2024 | down 57.2% | falling |
| 24 | Northern Mariana Islands | 13.0% | 2010 | up 283.8% | falling |
| 25 | Zimbabwe | 12.6% | 2024 | up 143.4% | rising |
| 26 | Montenegro | 12.3% | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 27 | Cape Verde | 12.1% | 2019 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 28 | Nepal | 12.0% | 2017 | up 996.7% | volatile |
| 29 | Spain | 11.9% | 2025 | down 49.5% | rising |
| 30 | Egypt | 11.9% | 2024 | down 50.4% | rising |
| 31 | Bahamas | 11.8% | 2023 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 32 | Marshall Islands | 11.5% | 2021 | up 155.6% | volatile |
| 33 | Turkey | 11.4% | 2025 | down 9.9% | flat |
| 34 | Greece | 11.1% | 2025 | down 61.6% | rising |
| 35 | Suriname | 11.1% | 2016 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 36 | Guam | 10.8% | 2012 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 37 | New Caledonia | 10.8% | 2023 | down 31.0% | falling |
| 38 | Colombia | 10.7% | 2025 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 39 | Angola | 10.6% | 2025 | up 16.4% | falling |
| 40 | North Macedonia | 10.6% | 2025 | down 58.3% | falling |
| 41 | Tajikistan | 10.5% | 2009 | up 261.2% | volatile |
| 42 | Panama | 10.4% | 2025 | up 93.7% | falling |
| 43 | Ukraine | 10.1% | 2021 | up 48.3% | falling |
| 44 | Pakistan | 10.0% | 2025 | up 63.5% | volatile |
| 45 | Antigua and Barbuda | 9.9% | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 46 | Oman | 9.7% | 2024 | down 29.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Chile | 9.6% | 2025 | up 30.8% | falling |
| 48 | Dominica | 9.5% | 2001 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 49 | Armenia | 9.4% | 2023 | down 49.6% | flat |
| 50 | Uruguay | 9.4% | 2024 | up 12.8% | falling |
| 51 | Greenland | 9.3% | 2015 | up 15.9% | rising |
| 52 | Finland | 9.1% | 2025 | up 2.9% | volatile |
| 53 | Albania | 9.1% | 2024 | down 41.4% | falling |
| 54 | Grenada | 9.0% | 2023 | down 39.7% | falling |
| 55 | Sweden | 8.8% | 2025 | up 20.7% | rising |
| 56 | Saudi Arabia | 8.6% | 2025 | down 60.0% | rising |
| 57 | Tuvalu | 8.3% | 2022 | up 57.0% | volatile |
| 58 | Argentina | 8.2% | 2025 | down 1.9% | falling |
| 59 | Saint Lucia | 8.2% | 2025 | down 55.5% | falling |
| 60 | Burkina Faso | 8.1% | 2025 | down 12.3% | volatile |
| 61 | Bermuda | 8.0% | 2014 | up 251.3% | rising |
| 62 | Dominican Republic | 7.9% | 2025 | down 27.0% | volatile |
| 63 | Venezuela | 7.9% | 2020 | up 13.7% | flat |
| 64 | Aruba | 7.8% | 2011 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 65 | Samoa | 7.8% | 2022 | down 24.3% | volatile |
| 66 | Uzbekistan | 7.7% | 2020 | up 21.8% | volatile |
| 67 | France | 7.6% | 2025 | down 23.1% | flat |
| 68 | Serbia | 7.6% | 2025 | down 59.5% | falling |
| 69 | Kenya | 7.4% | 2021 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 70 | Costa Rica | 7.2% | 2025 | down 30.8% | rising |
| 71 | Brazil | 7.2% | 2025 | down 30.5% | rising |
| 72 | Mauritius | 7.1% | 2024 | down 34.5% | falling |
| 73 | Senegal | 7.1% | 2024 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 74 | Fiji | 7.1% | 2024 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 75 | Sri Lanka | 7.0% | 2024 | up 11.5% | falling |
| 76 | San Marino | 6.9% | 2022 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 77 | Mali | 6.8% | 2024 | up 8.6% | volatile |
| 78 | Italy | 6.8% | 2025 | down 46.4% | falling |
| 78 | Luxembourg | 6.8% | 2025 | down 5.5% | rising |
| 80 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6.7% | 2017 | down 72.5% | volatile |
| 81 | Honduras | 6.7% | 2025 | down 24.0% | rising |
| 82 | Estonia | 6.6% | 2025 | up 4.4% | falling |
| 83 | Azerbaijan | 6.5% | 2022 | up 6.7% | volatile |
| 83 | Portugal | 6.5% | 2025 | down 48.7% | flat |
| 85 | Canada | 6.5% | 2025 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 86 | Denmark | 6.4% | 2025 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 87 | Georgia | 6.4% | 2024 | down 56.1% | falling |
| 88 | Zambia | 6.2% | 2024 | down 66.8% | volatile |
| 89 | Latvia | 6.1% | 2025 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 90 | Romania | 6.0% | 2025 | up 2.6% | falling |
| 91 | Kuwait | 5.8% | 2016 | up 101.1% | rising |
| 92 | Lithuania | 5.8% | 2025 | down 28.9% | falling |
| 92 | Slovakia | 5.8% | 2025 | down 55.0% | falling |
| 94 | Brunei | 5.7% | 2024 | down 26.9% | volatile |
| 95 | Rwanda | 5.7% | 2025 | up 358.4% | volatile |
| 96 | Paraguay | 5.7% | 2025 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 97 | Liberia | 5.6% | 2017 | up 34.5% | rising |
| 98 | Belgium | 5.6% | 2025 | down 27.9% | falling |
| 99 | Mongolia | 5.6% | 2024 | up 26.1% | falling |
| 100 | Afghanistan | 5.5% | 2021 | up 65.6% | volatile |
| 101 | United Arab Emirates | 5.5% | 2024 | up 37.0% | rising |
| 102 | Kazakhstan | 5.5% | 2022 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 103 | New Zealand | 5.4% | 2025 | down 7.7% | falling |
| 104 | Austria | 5.4% | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 105 | Barbados | 5.4% | 2024 | down 57.9% | falling |
| 106 | Nicaragua | 5.3% | 2018 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 107 | Ethiopia | 5.3% | 2021 | up 79.2% | rising |
| 108 | Nauru | 5.2% | 2021 | down 79.5% | volatile |
| 109 | Cayman Islands | 5.2% | 2015 | up 25.1% | falling |
| 110 | Peru | 5.0% | 2025 | up 48.4% | falling |
| 111 | Faroe Islands | 4.9% | 2013 | up 15.2% | volatile |
| 112 | Switzerland | 4.9% | 2025 | down 1.2% | volatile |
| 113 | Cyprus | 4.8% | 2025 | down 67.8% | rising |
| 114 | Ireland | 4.6% | 2025 | down 48.4% | volatile |
| 115 | United Kingdom | 4.6% | 2025 | down 15.3% | flat |
| 116 | Bhutan | 4.5% | 2025 | up 43.8% | rising |
| 117 | Iceland | 4.4% | 2025 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 118 | India | 4.4% | 2025 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 119 | Croatia | 4.3% | 2025 | down 74.6% | falling |
| 119 | Hungary | 4.3% | 2025 | down 38.9% | falling |
| 119 | Slovenia | 4.3% | 2025 | down 57.2% | falling |
| 122 | Ghana | 4.3% | 2024 | up 81.3% | volatile |
| 123 | Nigeria | 4.2% | 2024 | down 20.9% | rising |
| 124 | Kyrgyzstan | 4.2% | 2023 | down 35.1% | falling |
| 125 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.2% | 2024 | up 42.8% | volatile |
| 126 | United States | 4.2% | 2025 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 127 | Cameroon | 4.1% | 2021 | down 15.2% | volatile |
| 128 | Malaysia | 4.1% | 2022 | up 29.9% | falling |
| 128 | Norway | 4.1% | 2025 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 130 | Ecuador | 4.1% | 2025 | down 4.0% | volatile |
| 131 | Australia | 4.0% | 2025 | down 33.7% | falling |
| 132 | Netherlands | 4.0% | 2025 | down 45.0% | falling |
| 133 | Uganda | 4.0% | 2021 | up 287.3% | falling |
| 134 | Maldives | 3.9% | 2019 | down 71.4% | volatile |
| 135 | Jamaica | 3.9% | 2023 | down 68.8% | volatile |
| 136 | Kiribati | 3.7% | 2023 | down 34.5% | volatile |
| 137 | Bahrain | 3.5% | 2015 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Germany | 3.5% | 2025 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 139 | Madagascar | 3.5% | 2022 | up 451.4% | falling |
| 140 | Bangladesh | 3.4% | 2024 | down 53.6% | rising |
| 141 | Bulgaria | 3.4% | 2025 | down 59.6% | volatile |
| 142 | Tanzania | 3.4% | 2024 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 143 | Singapore | 3.3% | 2025 | down 16.8% | rising |
| 144 | Poland | 3.2% | 2025 | down 57.6% | volatile |
| 145 | Bolivia | 3.2% | 2024 | up 11.4% | falling |
| 146 | Czechia | 3.1% | 2025 | down 49.0% | falling |
| 147 | Indonesia | 3.1% | 2023 | down 27.8% | rising |
| 148 | El Salvador | 3.1% | 2024 | down 2.5% | volatile |
| 149 | Malta | 3.0% | 2025 | down 44.3% | rising |
| 150 | Hong Kong | 3.0% | 2025 | down 7.3% | flat |
| 151 | Israel | 2.9% | 2025 | down 45.4% | falling |
| 152 | Seychelles | 2.8% | 2024 | down 29.1% | volatile |
| 153 | South Korea | 2.7% | 2025 | down 21.3% | rising |
| 154 | Belarus | 2.7% | 2024 | up 323.3% | volatile |
| 155 | Mexico | 2.6% | 2025 | down 41.1% | falling |
| 156 | Philippines | 2.6% | 2023 | down 31.6% | falling |
| 157 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.6% | 2022 | down 65.2% | flat |
| 158 | Guatemala | 2.5% | 2024 | down 24.3% | rising |
| 159 | Tonga | 2.3% | 2023 | up 85.7% | volatile |
| 160 | Japan | 2.3% | 2025 | down 25.6% | rising |
| 161 | Russia | 2.3% | 2025 | down 57.7% | falling |
| 162 | Isle of Man | 2.3% | 2016 | up 15.1% | volatile |
| 163 | Macao | 2.2% | 2020 | up 4.8% | falling |
| 164 | Myanmar | 2.1% | 2020 | down 47.4% | volatile |
| 165 | Togo | 2.1% | 2022 | up 26.2% | volatile |
| 166 | Palau | 2.0% | 2023 | up 12.0% | volatile |
| 167 | Liechtenstein | 1.8% | 2017 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 168 | Cuba | 1.8% | 2018 | down 8.4% | volatile |
| 169 | East Timor | 1.6% | 2022 | down 60.8% | falling |
| 170 | Benin | 1.5% | 2022 | down 47.8% | volatile |
| 170 | Vanuatu | 1.5% | 2025 | down 78.2% | volatile |
| 172 | Vietnam | 1.4% | 2024 | up 28.6% | falling |
| 173 | Moldova | 1.2% | 2025 | down 10.7% | volatile |
| 174 | Burundi | 1.0% | 2020 | down 14.1% | volatile |
| 175 | Laos | 0.9% | 2022 | up 34.9% | falling |
| 176 | Thailand | 0.7% | 2025 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 177 | Qatar | 0.3% | 2024 | down 70.5% | volatile |
| 178 | Niger | 0.3% | 2022 | down 92.2% | volatile |
| 179 | Cambodia | 0.2% | 2023 | down 59.7% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Arab World 19.0%
- Kosovo 18.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 12.8%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 12.6%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.3%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 10.8%
- Caribbean small states 8.9%
- Euro area 6.6%
- Latin America & Caribbean 6.5%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 6.5%
- IBRD only 6.4%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 6.3%
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.