Central African Republic — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Central African Republic, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Central African Republic was 6.25% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.70% in 2021. The lowest was 5.51% in 2008 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.27% per year.
Central African Republic ranks 73 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 39%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Central African Republic sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 7% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 8%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 20 of 47 economies; Eritrea (5.98%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 10% in 2020. That is 2% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 94th of 187 in 1991 → 109th of 187 in 2000 → 108th of 187 in 2010 → 90th of 187 in 2020 → 68th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 6.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 6.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 6.29% | -0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 6.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 6.52% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 5.92% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 5.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 5.84% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 5.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 5.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 5.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 5.57% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 5.58% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 5.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 5.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 5.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 5.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 5.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 5.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 5.69% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 5.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 5.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 5.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 5.72% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 5.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 5.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 5.8% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 5.84% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 5.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 5.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 5.9% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 5.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 5.7% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Central African Republic’s Unemployment in 1992?
5.83% (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 Central African Republic’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +9.7% in total — about 0.3% 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: 6.25%; 2024: 6.25%; 2023: 6.18%; 2022: 6.29%; 2021: 6.7%. 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.