Libya — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Libya, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Libya was 18.76% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 19.78% in 2021. The lowest was 18.60% in 1991 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.02% per year.
Libya ranks 10 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 5%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 9.00%, so Libya sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 5% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 5%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 3 of 23 economies; Yemen, Rep. (17.32%) is just below it. That is 2% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 14th of 187 in 1991 → 12th of 187 in 2000 → 15th of 187 in 2010 → 11th of 187 in 2020 → 9th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18.76% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 19.09% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 18.71% | -0.5 pp |
| 2022 | 19.24% | -0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 19.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 19.65% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 19.09% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 18.86% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 19.05% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 19.56% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 19.69% | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 19.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 19.31% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 19.03% | -0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 19.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 19.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 19.29% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 19.04% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 18.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 18.81% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 18.66% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 18.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 19.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 19.28% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 19.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 19.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 19.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 19.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 19.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 19.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 19.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 19.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 19.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 18.83% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 18.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Libya’s Unemployment in 1992?
18.83% (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 Libya’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +0.8% in total.
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: 18.76%; 2024: 19.09%; 2023: 18.71%; 2022: 19.24%; 2021: 19.78%. 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.