China — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for China, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for China was 4.62% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.00% in 2020. The lowest was 2.37% in 1991 (about 1.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.98% per year.
China ranks 112 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 60%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so China sits above it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 1%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 10 of 29 economies; Australia (4.09%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 17% in 2001.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2020. Doubling roughly every 35 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 150th of 187 in 1991 → 152nd of 187 in 2000 → 129th of 187 in 2010 → 125th of 187 in 2020 → 107th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 4.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 4.67% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 4.98% | +0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 4.55% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 5% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 4.56% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 4.31% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 4.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 4.56% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 4.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 4.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 4.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 4.55% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 4.53% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 4.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 4.59% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 4.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 4.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.52% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 4.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 4.58% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 4.24% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 3.8% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 3.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 3.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 3.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 3.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 3.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 3% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 2.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 2.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.37% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was China’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.37% (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 China’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +94.7% in total — about 2.0% 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: 4.62%; 2024: 4.59%; 2023: 4.67%; 2022: 4.98%; 2021: 4.55%. 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.