Lebanon — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Lebanon, 1991–2023.
Unemployment for Lebanon was 10.98% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 33 years, from 1991 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 13.25% in 2020. The lowest was 6.36% in 2009 (about 1.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.77% per year.
Lebanon ranks 34 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 18%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 9.00%, so Lebanon sits above it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 17% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 30%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 11 of 23 economies; Morocco (9.00%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 17% in 2020. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 90 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 65th of 187 in 1991 → 78th of 187 in 2000 → 98th of 187 in 2010 → 37th of 187 in 2020 → 34th of 184 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2023
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 10.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 11.11% | -1.6 pp |
| 2021 | 12.72% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 13.25% | +2.0 pp |
| 2019 | 11.3% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 10.76% | +0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 10.26% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 9.79% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 9.31% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 8.84% | +0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 8.48% | +0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 7.95% | +0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 7.35% | +0.6 pp |
| 2010 | 6.77% | +0.4 pp |
| 2009 | 6.36% | -1.3 pp |
| 2008 | 7.67% | -1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 8.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 8.68% | +0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 8.25% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 7.85% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 8.06% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 8.25% | -0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 8.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 8.64% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 8.79% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 8.57% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 8.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 8.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 8.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 8.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 8.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 8.23% | -0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 8.59% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lebanon’s Unemployment in 1992?
8.23% (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 Lebanon’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +27.8% in total — about 0.8% 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: 2023: 10.99%; 2022: 11.11%; 2021: 12.72%; 2020: 13.25%; 2019: 11.3%. 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.