Bhutan — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Bhutan, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Bhutan was 3.23% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.95% in 2022. The lowest was 1.38% in 1991 (about 2.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.53% per year.
Bhutan ranks 141 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 75%. The median for South Asia is 4.22%, so Bhutan sits below it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 46% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 32%. Within South Asia it ranks 6 of 6 economies; Bangladesh (3.78%) is just above it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 85% in 2020. That is 11% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2005. Doubling roughly every 28 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 173rd of 187 in 1991 → 177th of 187 in 2000 → 156th of 187 in 2010 → 122nd of 187 in 2020 → 136th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 3.28% | +0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 3.13% | -2.8 pp |
| 2022 | 5.95% | +1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 4.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 5.03% | +2.3 pp |
| 2019 | 2.72% | -0.6 pp |
| 2018 | 3.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 3.03% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 2.71% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 2.45% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 2.63% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 2.87% | +0.8 pp |
| 2012 | 2.05% | -1.2 pp |
| 2011 | 3.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 3.32% | -0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 3.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 3.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.7% | +0.6 pp |
| 2006 | 3.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 2.49% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 1.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 1.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 1.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 1.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 1.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 1.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 1.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 1.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 1.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 1.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 1.38% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bhutan’s Unemployment in 1992?
1.39% (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 Bhutan’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +133.7% in total — about 2.5% 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: 3.23%; 2024: 3.28%; 2023: 3.13%; 2022: 5.95%; 2021: 4.8%. 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.