Bosnia and Herzegovina — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Bosnia and Herzegovina was 11.04% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 31.11% in 2006. The lowest was 10.67% in 2023 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.35% per year.
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 33 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 18%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Bosnia and Herzegovina sits above it. It peaked in 2006 and has fallen 65% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 60%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 5 of 49 economies; Albania (10.93%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 19% in 2008. That is 34% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 17th of 187 in 1991 → 5th of 187 in 2000 → 2nd of 187 in 2010 → 24th of 187 in 2020 → 31st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11.04% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 10.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 10.67% | -2.0 pp |
| 2022 | 12.66% | -2.2 pp |
| 2021 | 14.9% | -1.0 pp |
| 2020 | 15.87% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 15.69% | -2.7 pp |
| 2018 | 18.4% | -2.1 pp |
| 2017 | 20.53% | -4.9 pp |
| 2016 | 25.41% | -2.3 pp |
| 2015 | 27.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 27.52% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 27.49% | -0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 28.01% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 27.58% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 27.31% | +3.2 pp |
| 2009 | 24.07% | +0.7 pp |
| 2008 | 23.41% | -5.6 pp |
| 2007 | 28.98% | -2.1 pp |
| 2006 | 31.11% | +0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 30.22% | +0.9 pp |
| 2004 | 29.28% | +0.9 pp |
| 2003 | 28.42% | +0.9 pp |
| 2002 | 27.48% | +1.0 pp |
| 2001 | 26.49% | +1.0 pp |
| 2000 | 25.45% | +1.0 pp |
| 1999 | 24.44% | +0.9 pp |
| 1998 | 23.49% | +0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 22.59% | +0.9 pp |
| 1996 | 21.68% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 20.94% | +0.8 pp |
| 1994 | 20.17% | +0.8 pp |
| 1993 | 19.41% | +0.9 pp |
| 1992 | 18.48% | +0.9 pp |
| 1991 | 17.55% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Unemployment in 1992?
18.48% (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 Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -37.1% in total — about 1.4% 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: 11.04%; 2024: 10.69%; 2023: 10.67%; 2022: 12.66%; 2021: 14.9%. 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.