Unemployment, youth total (% of total 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
158
Highest
60.1%
South Africa
Lowest
0.4%
Niger
Median
13.7%
Years covered
66
1960–2025
Data points
4,152
What the numbers show
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) is currently reported for 158 countries. The highest value is 60.1% in South Africa; the lowest is 0.4% in Niger.
The median across all reporting countries is 13.7%, and the mean is 15.4%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 151.
Over the past decade 59 countries rose and 97 fell. The largest increase was in Madagascar (up 467.1%), and the largest decrease in Niger (down 91.1%).
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 60.1% | 2024 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 2 | Botswana | 45.2% | 2024 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 3 | Curacao | 42.2% | 2020 | up 70.7% | rising |
| 4 | Palestine | 40.8% | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 5 | Jordan | 39.3% | 2024 | up 27.0% | rising |
| 6 | Tunisia | 38.5% | 2023 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 7 | Namibia | 38.0% | 2018 | down 10.7% | flat |
| 8 | Syria | 35.8% | 2011 | up 36.0% | rising |
| 9 | Iraq | 35.4% | 2021 | up 120.3% | rising |
| 10 | New Caledonia | 34.5% | 2023 | down 10.1% | falling |
| 11 | Puerto Rico | 34.3% | 2020 | up 13.4% | falling |
| 12 | Morocco | 32.6% | 2022 | up 75.5% | falling |
| 13 | Lesotho | 31.1% | 2024 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 14 | Guyana | 30.7% | 2021 | — | rising |
| 15 | Guam | 29.4% | 2011 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 16 | North Macedonia | 29.2% | 2025 | down 39.0% | falling |
| 17 | Algeria | 29.0% | 2017 | up 5.8% | falling |
| 18 | Bermuda | 29.0% | 2014 | up 170.2% | rising |
| 19 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 27.9% | 2024 | down 55.5% | falling |
| 20 | Uruguay | 26.5% | 2024 | up 36.5% | rising |
| 21 | Suriname | 26.5% | 2016 | up 23.2% | falling |
| 22 | Romania | 26.1% | 2025 | up 20.5% | rising |
| 23 | Montenegro | 26.0% | 2024 | down 27.4% | falling |
| 24 | Spain | 24.9% | 2025 | down 48.5% | rising |
| 25 | Sweden | 24.3% | 2025 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 26 | Bahamas | 22.5% | 2023 | down 26.9% | rising |
| 27 | Albania | 22.4% | 2024 | down 43.9% | rising |
| 28 | Zimbabwe | 22.4% | 2024 | up 227.4% | rising |
| 29 | Saint Lucia | 22.0% | 2025 | down 42.8% | falling |
| 30 | Chile | 22.0% | 2025 | up 39.5% | rising |
| 31 | Finland | 21.8% | 2025 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 32 | Sri Lanka | 21.8% | 2024 | up 10.4% | falling |
| 33 | Serbia | 21.7% | 2025 | down 49.8% | falling |
| 34 | Luxembourg | 21.6% | 2024 | down 11.9% | volatile |
| 35 | Georgia | 21.4% | 2024 | down 44.1% | rising |
| 36 | Armenia | 21.2% | 2023 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 37 | Estonia | 20.7% | 2025 | up 44.2% | rising |
| 38 | Italy | 20.6% | 2025 | down 48.9% | flat |
| 39 | Iran | 20.2% | 2024 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 40 | Costa Rica | 20.1% | 2025 | down 8.8% | rising |
| 41 | France | 19.7% | 2025 | down 22.9% | falling |
| 42 | Portugal | 19.5% | 2025 | down 38.7% | rising |
| 43 | Panama | 19.5% | 2025 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 44 | Brunei | 19.4% | 2024 | down 23.4% | falling |
| 45 | Belize | 19.3% | 2019 | down 22.9% | falling |
| 46 | Argentina | 19.2% | 2025 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 47 | Malawi | 19.2% | 2024 | up 181.1% | volatile |
| 48 | Ukraine | 19.1% | 2021 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 49 | Greece | 19.0% | 2025 | down 61.8% | rising |
| 50 | Angola | 18.6% | 2025 | up 7.1% | falling |
| 51 | Croatia | 18.3% | 2025 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 52 | Grenada | 18.1% | 2023 | down 28.5% | falling |
| 53 | Bhutan | 17.9% | 2025 | up 66.9% | rising |
| 54 | India | 17.7% | 2025 | up 79.0% | rising |
| 55 | Colombia | 17.5% | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 56 | Belgium | 17.4% | 2025 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 57 | Fiji | 16.5% | 2024 | down 8.8% | rising |
| 58 | Barbados | 16.4% | 2024 | down 51.5% | falling |
| 59 | San Marino | 15.7% | 2022 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 60 | New Zealand | 15.7% | 2025 | up 13.0% | flat |
| 61 | Greenland | 15.7% | 2015 | up 16.6% | rising |
| 62 | Mauritius | 15.6% | 2024 | down 36.8% | falling |
| 63 | Kuwait | 15.4% | 2016 | up 36.3% | rising |
| 64 | Turkey | 15.4% | 2025 | down 16.9% | rising |
| 65 | Slovakia | 15.3% | 2025 | down 42.3% | falling |
| 66 | Egypt | 15.3% | 2024 | down 52.7% | falling |
| 67 | United Kingdom | 15.2% | 2025 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 68 | Latvia | 14.8% | 2025 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 69 | Mongolia | 14.4% | 2024 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 70 | China | 14.2% | 2021 | — | rising |
| 71 | Oman | 14.2% | 2022 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 72 | Lithuania | 14.1% | 2025 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 73 | Norway | 14.0% | 2025 | up 41.3% | rising |
| 74 | Burkina Faso | 13.9% | 2025 | up 60.4% | volatile |
| 75 | Hungary | 13.9% | 2025 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 76 | Maldives | 13.9% | 2019 | down 45.4% | volatile |
| 77 | Canada | 13.8% | 2025 | up 8.0% | falling |
| 78 | Denmark | 13.8% | 2025 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 79 | Cayman Islands | 13.8% | 2015 | up 41.0% | rising |
| 80 | Venezuela | 13.6% | 2020 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 81 | Brazil | 13.6% | 2025 | down 29.8% | rising |
| 82 | Azerbaijan | 13.6% | 2022 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 83 | Cyprus | 13.5% | 2025 | down 59.0% | volatile |
| 84 | Samoa | 13.4% | 2022 | down 29.9% | rising |
| 85 | Indonesia | 13.1% | 2023 | down 16.6% | rising |
| 86 | Bulgaria | 13.1% | 2025 | down 39.5% | falling |
| 87 | Cape Verde | 12.9% | 2019 | down 50.2% | falling |
| 88 | Dominican Republic | 12.7% | 2025 | down 23.4% | rising |
| 89 | Pakistan | 12.5% | 2025 | up 89.3% | volatile |
| 90 | Kenya | 12.3% | 2021 | up 67.7% | falling |
| 91 | Austria | 12.2% | 2025 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 92 | Slovenia | 12.1% | 2025 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 93 | Ireland | 11.8% | 2025 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 94 | Malaysia | 11.7% | 2022 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 95 | Poland | 11.7% | 2025 | down 43.4% | falling |
| 96 | Saudi Arabia | 11.3% | 2025 | down 62.9% | falling |
| 97 | Hong Kong | 11.2% | 2025 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 98 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.9% | 2024 | up 85.5% | volatile |
| 99 | Paraguay | 10.8% | 2025 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 100 | Zambia | 10.8% | 2024 | down 65.0% | volatile |
| 101 | Mali | 10.5% | 2024 | up 29.3% | volatile |
| 102 | Czechia | 10.4% | 2025 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 103 | Seychelles | 10.3% | 2024 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 104 | Belarus | 10.1% | 2024 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 105 | Ghana | 10.0% | 2024 | up 116.0% | volatile |
| 106 | United States | 10.0% | 2025 | down 14.1% | flat |
| 107 | Faroe Islands | 9.9% | 2013 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 108 | Bangladesh | 9.6% | 2024 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 109 | Malta | 9.6% | 2025 | down 17.5% | falling |
| 110 | Australia | 9.5% | 2025 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 111 | Iceland | 9.5% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 112 | Jamaica | 9.1% | 2023 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 113 | Netherlands | 8.8% | 2025 | down 21.8% | falling |
| 114 | Afghanistan | 8.8% | 2021 | up 199.5% | volatile |
| 115 | Switzerland | 8.8% | 2025 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 116 | Peru | 8.7% | 2025 | up 28.8% | rising |
| 117 | Rwanda | 8.6% | 2025 | up 346.4% | rising |
| 118 | Kyrgyzstan | 8.5% | 2023 | down 4.5% | falling |
| 119 | Nicaragua | 8.5% | 2014 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 120 | Honduras | 8.4% | 2025 | down 24.0% | rising |
| 121 | Macao | 8.0% | 2020 | up 45.3% | falling |
| 122 | Ecuador | 7.8% | 2025 | down 7.7% | falling |
| 123 | Kiribati | 7.7% | 2023 | down 55.3% | falling |
| 124 | Senegal | 7.6% | 2024 | down 6.2% | falling |
| 125 | Russia | 7.5% | 2025 | down 53.4% | falling |
| 126 | Singapore | 7.2% | 2025 | down 23.2% | rising |
| 127 | Isle of Man | 7.2% | 2016 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 128 | Germany | 7.1% | 2025 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 129 | Philippines | 6.9% | 2023 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 130 | El Salvador | 6.5% | 2024 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 131 | Cameroon | 6.4% | 2021 | up 0.8% | volatile |
| 132 | Vietnam | 6.4% | 2024 | up 23.1% | rising |
| 133 | South Korea | 5.7% | 2025 | down 43.2% | falling |
| 134 | Mexico | 5.6% | 2025 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 135 | Madagascar | 5.6% | 2022 | up 467.1% | volatile |
| 136 | Nigeria | 5.4% | 2024 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 137 | United Arab Emirates | 5.2% | 2024 | down 13.2% | flat |
| 138 | Uganda | 5.2% | 2021 | up 295.5% | rising |
| 139 | Myanmar | 4.9% | 2020 | down 47.5% | volatile |
| 140 | Palau | 4.7% | 2023 | down 15.4% | volatile |
| 141 | Tanzania | 4.7% | 2024 | up 21.5% | falling |
| 142 | Israel | 4.7% | 2025 | down 49.1% | falling |
| 143 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.4% | 2022 | down 55.0% | falling |
| 144 | Bolivia | 4.3% | 2024 | down 10.2% | volatile |
| 145 | Thailand | 3.9% | 2025 | up 24.9% | flat |
| 146 | Guatemala | 3.8% | 2024 | down 34.7% | flat |
| 147 | Kazakhstan | 3.8% | 2022 | down 2.9% | volatile |
| 148 | Japan | 3.8% | 2025 | down 30.5% | rising |
| 149 | East Timor | 3.4% | 2022 | down 60.8% | falling |
| 150 | Togo | 3.4% | 2022 | up 16.3% | volatile |
| 151 | Benin | 3.2% | 2022 | down 43.7% | volatile |
| 152 | Bahrain | 3.0% | 2015 | down 84.9% | volatile |
| 153 | Liechtenstein | 3.0% | 2017 | down 1.0% | rising |
| 154 | Vanuatu | 2.8% | 2025 | down 76.9% | falling |
| 155 | Moldova | 2.4% | 2025 | down 28.2% | volatile |
| 156 | Cambodia | 0.7% | 2023 | down 2.3% | volatile |
| 157 | Qatar | 0.5% | 2024 | down 32.1% | volatile |
| 158 | Niger | 0.4% | 2022 | down 91.1% | 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) 21.2%
- Kosovo 19.0%
- Middle income 17.8%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 17.7%
- South Asia 17.7%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 17.7%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 17.5%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 17.5%
- IBRD only 17.3%
- Upper middle income 17.1%
- World 16.7%
- European Union 16.6%
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.