Germany — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Germany, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Germany was 3.71% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 11.19% in 2005. The lowest was 3.07% in 2023 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.05% per year.
Germany ranks 125 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 67%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Germany sits below it. It peaked in 2005 and has fallen 67% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 20%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 40 of 49 economies; Iceland (3.63%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 23% in 2020. That is 2% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2004.
World ranking. Slipped: 100th of 187 in 1991 → 83rd of 187 in 2000 → 93rd of 187 in 2010 → 149th of 187 in 2020 → 120th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.71% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 3.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 3.14% | -0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 3.59% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 3.88% | +0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 3.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 3.38% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 3.78% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 4.1% | -0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 4.61% | -0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 4.98% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 5.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 5.37% | -0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 5.97% | -1.1 pp |
| 2010 | 7.04% | -0.8 pp |
| 2009 | 7.88% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 7.51% | -1.2 pp |
| 2007 | 8.73% | -1.5 pp |
| 2006 | 10.28% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 11.19% | +0.5 pp |
| 2004 | 10.73% | +0.9 pp |
| 2003 | 9.78% | +1.3 pp |
| 2002 | 8.48% | +0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 7.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 7.92% | -0.9 pp |
| 1999 | 8.85% | -0.9 pp |
| 1998 | 9.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 9.86% | +1.0 pp |
| 1996 | 8.82% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 8.16% | -0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 8.73% | +1.1 pp |
| 1993 | 7.68% | +1.4 pp |
| 1992 | 6.32% | +1.0 pp |
| 1991 | 5.32% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Germany’s Unemployment in 1992?
6.32% (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 Germany’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -30.2% 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: 3.71%; 2024: 3.4%; 2023: 3.07%; 2022: 3.14%; 2021: 3.59%. 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.