Italy — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Italy, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Italy was 6.39% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 12.68% in 2014. The lowest was 6.08% in 2007 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.34% per year.
Italy ranks 71 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 38%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Italy sits above it. It peaked in 2014 and has fallen 50% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 46%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 19 of 49 economies; Luxembourg (6.34%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 27% in 2012. That is 31% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 52nd of 187 in 1991 → 61st of 187 in 2000 → 70th of 187 in 2010 → 59th of 187 in 2020 → 66th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 6.5% | -1.1 pp |
| 2023 | 7.63% | -0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 8.07% | -1.4 pp |
| 2021 | 9.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 9.19% | -0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 9.88% | -0.7 pp |
| 2018 | 10.54% | -0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 11.21% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 11.69% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 11.9% | -0.8 pp |
| 2014 | 12.68% | +0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 12.15% | +1.5 pp |
| 2012 | 10.66% | +2.3 pp |
| 2011 | 8.36% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 8.36% | +0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 7.75% | +1.0 pp |
| 2008 | 6.72% | +0.6 pp |
| 2007 | 6.08% | -0.7 pp |
| 2006 | 6.78% | -1.0 pp |
| 2005 | 7.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 7.87% | -1.0 pp |
| 2003 | 8.87% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 9.21% | -0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 9.6% | -1.2 pp |
| 2000 | 10.83% | -0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 11.68% | -0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 12.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 11.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 11.86% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 11.66% | +0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 11.09% | +0.9 pp |
| 1993 | 10.21% | +0.9 pp |
| 1992 | 9.32% | -0.8 pp |
| 1991 | 10.1% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Italy’s Unemployment in 1992?
9.32% (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 Italy’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -36.7% in total — about 1.3% 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: 6.39%; 2024: 6.5%; 2023: 7.63%; 2022: 8.07%; 2021: 9.5%. 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.