Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) by country
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.
Countries reporting
155
Highest
57.0%
South Africa
Lowest
0.3%
Qatar
Median
12.3%
Years covered
66
1960–2025
Data points
4,068
What the numbers show
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) is currently reported for 155 countries. The highest value is 57.0% in South Africa; the lowest is 0.3% in Qatar.
The median across all reporting countries is 12.3%, and the mean is 14.1%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 222.
Over the past decade 59 countries rose and 95 fell. The largest increase was in Rwanda (up 478.4%), and the largest decrease in Bahrain (down 92.9%).
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 57.0% | 2024 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 2 | Botswana | 42.4% | 2024 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 3 | Jordan | 41.3% | 2024 | up 54.1% | rising |
| 4 | Tunisia | 39.5% | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 5 | Namibia | 37.5% | 2018 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 6 | Palestine | 37.4% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 7 | Puerto Rico | 34.9% | 2020 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 8 | Iraq | 31.6% | 2021 | up 115.7% | rising |
| 9 | New Caledonia | 30.9% | 2023 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 10 | North Macedonia | 30.3% | 2025 | down 39.6% | falling |
| 11 | Bermuda | 30.0% | 2014 | up 119.6% | rising |
| 12 | Guam | 29.5% | 2011 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 13 | Morocco | 28.7% | 2022 | up 56.0% | falling |
| 14 | Montenegro | 26.5% | 2024 | down 26.4% | falling |
| 15 | Algeria | 25.7% | 2017 | up 35.2% | rising |
| 16 | Guyana | 25.4% | 2021 | — | rising |
| 17 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 25.4% | 2024 | down 58.4% | falling |
| 18 | Romania | 25.0% | 2025 | up 21.5% | rising |
| 19 | Sweden | 24.7% | 2025 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 20 | Luxembourg | 24.4% | 2024 | up 0.7% | volatile |
| 21 | Spain | 24.1% | 2025 | down 50.5% | rising |
| 22 | Uruguay | 24.0% | 2024 | up 49.1% | rising |
| 23 | Lesotho | 23.3% | 2024 | down 19.8% | falling |
| 24 | Estonia | 22.5% | 2025 | up 45.3% | rising |
| 25 | Albania | 22.3% | 2024 | down 48.9% | rising |
| 26 | Finland | 21.7% | 2025 | down 14.4% | rising |
| 27 | Georgia | 21.2% | 2024 | down 47.8% | rising |
| 28 | Saint Lucia | 20.9% | 2025 | down 44.1% | rising |
| 29 | Zimbabwe | 20.4% | 2024 | up 244.7% | flat |
| 30 | Serbia | 20.4% | 2025 | down 49.1% | falling |
| 31 | Angola | 20.2% | 2025 | up 13.3% | falling |
| 32 | France | 20.0% | 2025 | down 24.8% | rising |
| 33 | Italy | 19.5% | 2025 | down 49.7% | rising |
| 34 | Chile | 19.4% | 2025 | up 38.4% | rising |
| 35 | Belgium | 18.8% | 2025 | down 21.0% | rising |
| 36 | Suriname | 18.7% | 2016 | up 41.1% | falling |
| 37 | Armenia | 18.4% | 2023 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 38 | Croatia | 18.1% | 2025 | down 56.3% | falling |
| 39 | Ukraine | 18.0% | 2021 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 40 | Argentina | 17.8% | 2025 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 41 | Iran | 17.7% | 2024 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 42 | Greece | 17.6% | 2025 | down 61.2% | rising |
| 43 | Portugal | 17.6% | 2025 | down 40.6% | rising |
| 44 | Costa Rica | 17.4% | 2025 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 45 | United Kingdom | 17.3% | 2025 | up 3.0% | falling |
| 46 | Sri Lanka | 17.2% | 2024 | up 8.7% | falling |
| 47 | Maldives | 17.2% | 2019 | down 40.9% | volatile |
| 48 | India | 17.2% | 2025 | up 77.7% | rising |
| 49 | Lithuania | 17.0% | 2025 | up 6.1% | falling |
| 50 | Brunei | 16.9% | 2024 | down 27.6% | falling |
| 51 | Bahamas | 16.9% | 2023 | down 43.1% | rising |
| 52 | Panama | 16.5% | 2025 | up 74.0% | rising |
| 53 | Syria | 16.4% | 2010 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 54 | Cayman Islands | 16.4% | 2015 | up 46.1% | rising |
| 55 | Malawi | 16.3% | 2024 | up 149.4% | volatile |
| 56 | Latvia | 16.1% | 2025 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 57 | Grenada | 16.1% | 2023 | up 4.3% | falling |
| 58 | Slovakia | 15.9% | 2025 | down 38.5% | falling |
| 59 | New Zealand | 15.8% | 2025 | up 14.0% | falling |
| 60 | Barbados | 15.4% | 2024 | down 48.1% | falling |
| 61 | Norway | 15.3% | 2025 | up 36.9% | rising |
| 62 | Canada | 14.7% | 2025 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 63 | Cyprus | 14.4% | 2025 | down 58.6% | volatile |
| 64 | Denmark | 14.3% | 2025 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 65 | Bangladesh | 14.1% | 2024 | up 40.1% | rising |
| 66 | Colombia | 14.0% | 2025 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 67 | Bulgaria | 14.0% | 2025 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 68 | Greenland | 14.0% | 2015 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 69 | Mauritius | 13.9% | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 70 | Bhutan | 13.9% | 2025 | up 68.9% | rising |
| 71 | Hungary | 13.9% | 2025 | down 24.0% | falling |
| 72 | Fiji | 13.6% | 2024 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 73 | Indonesia | 13.1% | 2023 | down 15.3% | rising |
| 74 | Mongolia | 13.0% | 2024 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 75 | Austria | 12.8% | 2025 | up 10.8% | rising |
| 76 | Belize | 12.7% | 2019 | down 29.1% | falling |
| 77 | Burkina Faso | 12.7% | 2025 | up 140.6% | volatile |
| 78 | Pakistan | 12.3% | 2025 | up 117.5% | volatile |
| 79 | Azerbaijan | 12.1% | 2022 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 80 | Brazil | 11.9% | 2025 | down 27.0% | rising |
| 81 | Ireland | 11.8% | 2025 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 82 | San Marino | 11.8% | 2022 | up 0.1% | volatile |
| 83 | Oman | 11.7% | 2022 | down 35.2% | volatile |
| 84 | Venezuela | 11.7% | 2020 | down 11.4% | falling |
| 85 | Cape Verde | 11.7% | 2019 | down 53.4% | falling |
| 85 | Turkey | 11.7% | 2025 | down 29.1% | falling |
| 87 | Hong Kong | 11.5% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 88 | Egypt | 11.2% | 2024 | down 58.8% | falling |
| 89 | Belarus | 11.1% | 2024 | down 12.0% | falling |
| 90 | Poland | 11.0% | 2025 | down 46.8% | falling |
| 91 | United States | 10.9% | 2025 | down 14.6% | rising |
| 92 | Malaysia | 10.7% | 2022 | up 12.4% | rising |
| 93 | Australia | 10.5% | 2025 | down 26.0% | falling |
| 94 | Czechia | 10.5% | 2025 | down 7.2% | falling |
| 94 | Slovenia | 10.5% | 2025 | down 40.5% | falling |
| 96 | Zambia | 10.5% | 2024 | down 61.5% | falling |
| 97 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.3% | 2024 | up 124.0% | volatile |
| 98 | Macao | 10.1% | 2020 | up 31.8% | falling |
| 99 | Kuwait | 9.4% | 2016 | down 20.6% | rising |
| 100 | Malta | 9.2% | 2025 | down 30.2% | falling |
| 101 | Kyrgyzstan | 9.2% | 2023 | up 16.8% | falling |
| 102 | Saudi Arabia | 9.1% | 2025 | down 57.3% | falling |
| 103 | Netherlands | 9.1% | 2025 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 104 | Ghana | 9.1% | 2024 | up 115.9% | volatile |
| 105 | Dominican Republic | 9.1% | 2025 | down 25.4% | rising |
| 106 | Seychelles | 9.1% | 2024 | down 27.6% | falling |
| 107 | Iceland | 8.8% | 2025 | down 19.5% | rising |
| 108 | Isle of Man | 8.7% | 2016 | down 5.5% | rising |
| 109 | Afghanistan | 8.5% | 2021 | up 235.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Paraguay | 8.4% | 2025 | down 19.6% | rising |
| 111 | Faroe Islands | 8.4% | 2013 | down 11.4% | rising |
| 112 | Switzerland | 8.3% | 2025 | down 9.7% | rising |
| 113 | Samoa | 8.3% | 2022 | down 46.8% | volatile |
| 114 | Kenya | 8.2% | 2021 | up 12.3% | falling |
| 115 | Rwanda | 7.8% | 2025 | up 478.4% | volatile |
| 116 | Jamaica | 7.8% | 2023 | down 62.8% | falling |
| 117 | Peru | 7.8% | 2025 | up 12.4% | flat |
| 118 | Mali | 7.7% | 2024 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Germany | 7.6% | 2025 | down 6.8% | flat |
| 120 | Russia | 7.2% | 2025 | down 53.6% | falling |
| 121 | Vietnam | 6.6% | 2024 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 122 | Senegal | 6.5% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 123 | Nicaragua | 6.4% | 2014 | down 21.3% | falling |
| 124 | Ecuador | 6.1% | 2025 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 125 | Philippines | 6.1% | 2023 | down 24.3% | falling |
| 126 | South Korea | 5.6% | 2025 | down 44.1% | falling |
| 127 | El Salvador | 5.5% | 2024 | down 46.0% | falling |
| 128 | Honduras | 5.5% | 2025 | down 16.4% | rising |
| 129 | Madagascar | 5.5% | 2022 | up 465.9% | volatile |
| 130 | Kiribati | 5.3% | 2023 | down 76.1% | falling |
| 131 | Singapore | 5.3% | 2025 | down 31.5% | rising |
| 132 | Mexico | 5.2% | 2025 | down 32.9% | falling |
| 133 | Cameroon | 5.2% | 2021 | down 1.9% | volatile |
| 134 | Israel | 4.8% | 2025 | down 46.4% | falling |
| 135 | Nigeria | 4.4% | 2024 | down 51.6% | falling |
| 136 | Myanmar | 4.1% | 2020 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 137 | Japan | 4.0% | 2025 | down 31.6% | rising |
| 138 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.0% | 2022 | down 61.0% | volatile |
| 139 | Uganda | 3.9% | 2021 | up 267.8% | rising |
| 140 | Bolivia | 3.8% | 2024 | up 24.2% | volatile |
| 141 | Benin | 3.6% | 2022 | down 30.8% | volatile |
| 142 | East Timor | 3.4% | 2022 | down 67.5% | falling |
| 143 | Liechtenstein | 3.4% | 2017 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 144 | Thailand | 3.3% | 2025 | up 29.0% | falling |
| 145 | Tanzania | 3.2% | 2024 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 146 | Togo | 3.1% | 2022 | down 10.5% | volatile |
| 147 | United Arab Emirates | 3.0% | 2024 | down 40.4% | falling |
| 148 | Vanuatu | 2.9% | 2025 | down 71.8% | falling |
| 149 | Guatemala | 2.9% | 2024 | down 36.8% | flat |
| 150 | Kazakhstan | 2.8% | 2022 | down 1.6% | volatile |
| 151 | Moldova | 1.2% | 2025 | down 66.6% | volatile |
| 152 | Bahrain | 1.2% | 2015 | down 92.9% | volatile |
| 153 | Cambodia | 1.0% | 2023 | up 28.3% | volatile |
| 154 | Niger | 0.5% | 2022 | down 85.9% | volatile |
| 155 | Qatar | 0.3% | 2024 | down 24.2% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 18.8%
- South Asia 17.2%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 17.2%
- Euro area 16.5%
- Kosovo 16.5%
- European Union 16.5%
- IBRD only 16.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 15.4%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 15.2%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 15.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 15.2%
- Early-demographic dividend 14.8%
About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.