Finland — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Finland, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Finland was 9.46% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 17.00% in 1995. The lowest was 6.37% in 2008 (about 1.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.11% per year.
Finland ranks 40 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 21%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Finland sits above it. It peaked in 1995 and has fallen 44% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 9 of 49 economies; Sweden (8.69%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 78% in 1992. That is 18% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1993. Doubling roughly every 63 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 89th of 187 in 1991 → 56th of 187 in 2000 → 69th of 187 in 2010 → 74th of 187 in 2020 → 36th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9.46% | +1.1 pp |
| 2024 | 8.4% | +1.3 pp |
| 2023 | 7.15% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 6.72% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 7.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 7.76% | +1.1 pp |
| 2019 | 6.7% | -0.7 pp |
| 2018 | 7.36% | -1.3 pp |
| 2017 | 8.64% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 8.82% | -0.6 pp |
| 2015 | 9.38% | +0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 8.66% | +0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 8.19% | +0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 7.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 7.78% | -0.6 pp |
| 2010 | 8.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 8.25% | +1.9 pp |
| 2008 | 6.37% | -0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 6.85% | -2.1 pp |
| 2006 | 8.94% | -0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 9.6% | -0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 10.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 10.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 10.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 10.29% | -0.8 pp |
| 2000 | 11.13% | -0.6 pp |
| 1999 | 11.69% | -1.5 pp |
| 1998 | 13.21% | -1.8 pp |
| 1997 | 14.97% | -0.6 pp |
| 1996 | 15.57% | -1.4 pp |
| 1995 | 17.01% | +0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 16.43% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 16.2% | +4.6 pp |
| 1992 | 11.6% | +5.1 pp |
| 1991 | 6.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Finland’s Unemployment in 1992?
11.6% (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 Finland’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +45.5% in total — about 1.1% 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: 9.46%; 2024: 8.4%; 2023: 7.15%; 2022: 6.72%; 2021: 7.62%. 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.