Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) by country
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).
Countries reporting
128
Highest
40.1%
Slovakia
Lowest
0.0%
Qatar
Median
6.6%
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
2,702
What the numbers show
Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) is currently reported for 128 countries. The highest value is 40.1% in Slovakia; the lowest is 0.0% in Qatar.
The median across all reporting countries is 6.6%, and the mean is 8.3%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 871.
Over the past decade 45 countries rose and 82 fell. The largest increase was in Rwanda (up 1,094.3%), and the largest decrease in Czechia (down 80.5%).
Unemployment with basic education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slovakia | 40.1% | 2024 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 2 | South Africa | 39.3% | 2024 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 3 | Palestine | 32.6% | 2025 | up 51.4% | rising |
| 4 | Botswana | 26.5% | 2024 | up 26.1% | rising |
| 5 | Sweden | 25.7% | 2024 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 6 | Montenegro | 23.1% | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 7 | Angola | 20.5% | 2024 | up 37.5% | falling |
| 8 | Finland | 20.3% | 2024 | up 14.1% | falling |
| 9 | North Macedonia | 19.0% | 2024 | down 40.6% | falling |
| 10 | Jordan | 18.6% | 2023 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 11 | Namibia | 17.5% | 2018 | down 15.7% | rising |
| 12 | Lithuania | 17.3% | 2024 | down 41.6% | rising |
| 13 | Latvia | 17.2% | 2024 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 14 | Spain | 15.3% | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 15 | Canada | 15.1% | 2025 | up 7.1% | falling |
| 16 | Malawi | 14.9% | 2024 | up 201.7% | volatile |
| 17 | Romania | 14.8% | 2024 | up 128.1% | rising |
| 18 | Estonia | 14.7% | 2024 | up 15.3% | falling |
| 19 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 14.3% | 2024 | down 53.1% | falling |
| 20 | Tunisia | 14.2% | 2023 | up 43.7% | falling |
| 21 | Greenland | 13.9% | 2015 | up 24.2% | rising |
| 22 | Hungary | 13.7% | 2024 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 23 | Bulgaria | 13.7% | 2024 | down 49.7% | falling |
| 24 | Austria | 13.6% | 2025 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 25 | France | 13.4% | 2024 | down 22.5% | flat |
| 26 | Morocco | 13.1% | 2022 | up 26.4% | falling |
| 27 | Azerbaijan | 12.3% | 2022 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 28 | Saint Lucia | 11.9% | 2024 | up 7.4% | falling |
| 29 | Ukraine | 11.7% | 2021 | up 77.9% | rising |
| 30 | Belgium | 11.7% | 2024 | down 23.5% | rising |
| 31 | Zimbabwe | 11.3% | 2024 | up 156.8% | rising |
| 32 | Croatia | 11.0% | 2024 | down 56.9% | flat |
| 33 | Greece | 10.9% | 2024 | down 61.8% | volatile |
| 34 | Rwanda | 10.7% | 2024 | up 1,094.3% | rising |
| 35 | Denmark | 10.7% | 2024 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 36 | Cape Verde | 10.4% | 2019 | down 29.7% | volatile |
| 37 | Luxembourg | 10.4% | 2024 | down 5.1% | rising |
| 38 | Norway | 10.3% | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 39 | Mali | 10.3% | 2024 | up 43.8% | rising |
| 40 | Armenia | 10.3% | 2023 | down 33.4% | volatile |
| 41 | Belize | 9.9% | 2019 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 42 | Uruguay | 9.8% | 2024 | up 24.1% | falling |
| 43 | Italy | 9.6% | 2024 | down 41.5% | rising |
| 44 | Ireland | 9.2% | 2024 | down 52.8% | falling |
| 45 | Chile | 8.7% | 2025 | up 31.6% | falling |
| 46 | Australia | 8.4% | 2024 | down 14.0% | flat |
| 47 | Switzerland | 8.4% | 2024 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 48 | United Kingdom | 8.2% | 2025 | down 1.9% | falling |
| 49 | Serbia | 8.0% | 2024 | down 56.3% | falling |
| 50 | Slovenia | 8.0% | 2024 | down 46.3% | rising |
| 51 | Senegal | 7.8% | 2024 | down 6.9% | rising |
| 52 | Belarus | 7.7% | 2024 | down 42.2% | flat |
| 53 | Albania | 7.6% | 2024 | down 49.7% | falling |
| 54 | Barbados | 7.5% | 2023 | down 33.1% | falling |
| 55 | Turkey | 7.4% | 2024 | down 19.9% | rising |
| 56 | Colombia | 7.2% | 2025 | up 9.4% | falling |
| 57 | Brazil | 7.0% | 2025 | down 21.5% | rising |
| 58 | Georgia | 6.9% | 2024 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 59 | Germany | 6.9% | 2024 | down 40.4% | falling |
| 60 | Panama | 6.8% | 2024 | up 43.4% | rising |
| 61 | New Zealand | 6.7% | 2020 | down 34.7% | falling |
| 62 | Grenada | 6.7% | 2023 | down 55.4% | falling |
| 63 | Kazakhstan | 6.7% | 2017 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 64 | Russia | 6.6% | 2024 | down 50.1% | falling |
| 65 | United States | 6.6% | 2025 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 66 | Iceland | 6.6% | 2024 | down 5.8% | rising |
| 67 | Kyrgyzstan | 6.5% | 2018 | down 60.3% | falling |
| 68 | Portugal | 6.4% | 2025 | down 51.9% | rising |
| 69 | Pakistan | 6.3% | 2025 | up 188.3% | volatile |
| 70 | Costa Rica | 6.1% | 2025 | down 31.6% | flat |
| 71 | Netherlands | 6.1% | 2024 | down 49.3% | rising |
| 72 | Mongolia | 5.7% | 2024 | up 53.7% | falling |
| 73 | Cayman Islands | 5.7% | 2015 | — | falling |
| 74 | Cyprus | 5.7% | 2024 | down 71.6% | volatile |
| 75 | Brunei | 5.2% | 2024 | down 37.4% | falling |
| 76 | Dominican Republic | 5.2% | 2025 | down 27.8% | falling |
| 77 | Paraguay | 5.0% | 2017 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 78 | Iran | 5.0% | 2024 | down 35.1% | falling |
| 79 | Mauritius | 5.0% | 2024 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 80 | Burkina Faso | 4.7% | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 81 | Poland | 4.6% | 2024 | down 75.9% | volatile |
| 82 | Czechia | 4.3% | 2024 | down 80.5% | falling |
| 83 | Israel | 4.3% | 2024 | down 59.5% | falling |
| 84 | Malta | 4.2% | 2024 | down 53.6% | falling |
| 85 | Honduras | 4.2% | 2025 | down 24.4% | rising |
| 86 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.1% | 2024 | up 41.0% | rising |
| 87 | San Marino | 4.1% | 2022 | up 15.9% | rising |
| 88 | Seychelles | 4.0% | 2024 | down 7.9% | rising |
| 89 | Venezuela | 3.9% | 2017 | down 45.4% | falling |
| 90 | Kenya | 3.8% | 2022 | up 139.1% | volatile |
| 91 | Zambia | 3.6% | 2024 | down 74.6% | volatile |
| 92 | Fiji | 3.6% | 2024 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 93 | Malaysia | 3.6% | 2022 | down 1.6% | volatile |
| 94 | Egypt | 3.4% | 2024 | down 70.4% | falling |
| 95 | South Korea | 3.4% | 2025 | up 38.8% | rising |
| 96 | Ghana | 3.3% | 2024 | up 52.6% | volatile |
| 97 | Sri Lanka | 3.2% | 2023 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 98 | Hong Kong | 3.0% | 2024 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 99 | Peru | 3.0% | 2025 | up 21.9% | falling |
| 100 | Singapore | 2.8% | 2024 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 101 | Bangladesh | 2.8% | 2024 | down 26.4% | flat |
| 102 | Bhutan | 2.8% | 2024 | up 56.1% | rising |
| 103 | India | 2.3% | 2024 | down 22.8% | rising |
| 104 | Macao | 2.3% | 2016 | down 48.8% | falling |
| 105 | Mexico | 2.3% | 2024 | down 52.8% | falling |
| 106 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.2% | 2022 | down 70.3% | falling |
| 107 | Argentina | 2.1% | 2024 | down 75.2% | falling |
| 108 | East Timor | 2.1% | 2022 | down 52.4% | volatile |
| 109 | El Salvador | 2.1% | 2024 | down 46.1% | falling |
| 110 | Indonesia | 2.1% | 2023 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 111 | Guatemala | 2.0% | 2024 | down 44.1% | falling |
| 112 | Philippines | 1.9% | 2023 | down 70.2% | falling |
| 113 | Bolivia | 1.8% | 2024 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 114 | Nigeria | 1.7% | 2024 | down 75.2% | volatile |
| 115 | Tanzania | 1.7% | 2024 | down 32.5% | volatile |
| 116 | Togo | 1.7% | 2022 | up 99.1% | volatile |
| 117 | Uganda | 1.5% | 2021 | up 101.0% | rising |
| 118 | Jamaica | 1.4% | 2023 | down 79.8% | falling |
| 119 | Ecuador | 1.3% | 2025 | down 41.8% | falling |
| 120 | Vietnam | 1.2% | 2024 | up 70.2% | rising |
| 121 | United Arab Emirates | 1.2% | 2023 | up 12.9% | volatile |
| 122 | Myanmar | 1.2% | 2020 | down 59.9% | volatile |
| 123 | Moldova | 1.1% | 2024 | up 109.5% | volatile |
| 124 | Saudi Arabia | 1.0% | 2024 | down 48.0% | falling |
| 125 | Niger | 0.8% | 2022 | down 12.2% | volatile |
| 126 | Thailand | 0.5% | 2024 | up 2.4% | volatile |
| 127 | Cambodia | 0.3% | 2023 | down 43.9% | volatile |
| 128 | Qatar | 0.0% | 2020 | down 61.7% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Kosovo 21.4%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 13.0%
- European Union 12.6%
- Euro area 12.5%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 11.6%
- Europe & Central Asia 10.8%
- Post-demographic dividend 10.0%
- High income 9.6%
- OECD members 9.2%
- Early-demographic dividend 9.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 8.2%
- North America 8.1%
About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).