Top 20 countries by Unemployment (2025)
The twenty largest economies by Unemployment Rate in 2025, ranked by the exact World Bank Open Data figures this site publishes. The top three: Eswatini (34.20%), South Africa (32.39%), Djibouti (26.02%).
| # | Country | % of total labor force (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eswatini | 34.2% |
| 2 | South Africa | 32.39% |
| 3 | Djibouti | 26.02% |
| 4 | Botswana | 24.48% |
| 5 | West Bank and Gaza | 24.42% |
| 6 | Gabon | 20.15% |
| 7 | Congo, Rep. | 19.88% |
| 8 | Namibia | 19.29% |
| 9 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 18.95% |
| 10 | Libya | 18.76% |
| 11 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 18% |
| 12 | Yemen, Rep. | 17.32% |
| 13 | Jordan | 16.54% |
| 14 | Lesotho | 16.32% |
| 15 | Iraq | 15.49% |
| 16 | Tunisia | 15.11% |
| 17 | Haiti | 14.94% |
| 18 | Angola | 14.11% |
| 19 | Montenegro | 13.57% |
| 20 | Syrian Arab Republic | 13.57% |
How the top 10 shifted since 1990
World rank in each snapshot year, for the ten largest economies today. Ranks are computed among every country with a published value that year, so the field grows as coverage widens.
| Country | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eswatini | — | #6 | #3 | #1 |
| South Africa | — | #7 | #5 | #2 |
| Djibouti | — | #4 | #4 | #3 |
| Botswana | — | #24 | #19 | #8 |
| West Bank and Gaza | — | #63 | #7 | #4 |
| Gabon | — | #17 | #8 | #7 |
| Congo, Rep. | — | #11 | #16 | #6 |
| Namibia | — | #10 | #6 | #9 |
| Somalia, Fed. Rep. | — | #14 | #18 | #12 |
| Libya | — | #12 | #15 | #11 |
Any year, any indicator
This table is the 2025 snapshot. The ranking tool builds the same list for any published year, and each country row links to a page with the full 35-year history, chart and download.
Method
Values are the exact figures the World Bank API returns for indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS (% of total labor force), ranked without modification. Economies without a published value for 2025 are not listed.