Belgium — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Belgium, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Belgium was 5.91% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 9.64% in 1994. The lowest was 5.36% in 2019 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.49% per year.
Belgium ranks 81 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 43%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Belgium sits above it. It peaked in 1994 and has fallen 39% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 30%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 24 of 49 economies; Austria (5.58%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 24% in 2000. That is 6% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 82nd of 187 in 1991 → 98th of 187 in 2000 → 71st of 187 in 2010 → 111th of 187 in 2020 → 76th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.91% | +0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 5.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 5.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 5.57% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 6.25% | +0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 5.55% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 5.36% | -0.6 pp |
| 2018 | 5.94% | -1.1 pp |
| 2017 | 7.09% | -0.7 pp |
| 2016 | 7.83% | -0.7 pp |
| 2015 | 8.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 8.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 8.43% | +0.9 pp |
| 2012 | 7.54% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 7.14% | -1.2 pp |
| 2010 | 8.29% | +0.4 pp |
| 2009 | 7.91% | +0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 6.98% | -0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 7.46% | -0.8 pp |
| 2006 | 8.25% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 8.44% | +1.1 pp |
| 2004 | 7.36% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 7.68% | +0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 6.91% | +0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 6.18% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 6.59% | -2.1 pp |
| 1999 | 8.65% | -0.7 pp |
| 1998 | 9.32% | +0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 8.95% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 9.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 9.34% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 9.65% | +1.6 pp |
| 1993 | 8.08% | +1.4 pp |
| 1992 | 6.7% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 6.98% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Belgium’s Unemployment in 1992?
6.7% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Belgium’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -15.4% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 5.91%; 2024: 5.7%; 2023: 5.55%; 2022: 5.57%; 2021: 6.25%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.