Mauritania — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Mauritania, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Mauritania was 10.32% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 11.13% in 2021. The lowest was 9.31% in 2006 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.10% per year.
Mauritania ranks 38 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 20%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Mauritania sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 7% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 2%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 13 of 47 economies; Zimbabwe (9.29%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 6% in 2020.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 53rd of 187 in 1991 → 70th of 187 in 2000 → 55th of 187 in 2010 → 49th of 187 in 2020 → 35th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 10.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 10.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 10.52% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 11.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 11.05% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 10.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 10.41% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 10.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 10.29% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 10.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 10.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 9.93% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 9.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 9.98% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 10.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 10.21% | +0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 9.72% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 9.48% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 9.31% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 9.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 9.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 9.91% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 10.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 10.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 10.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 10.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 9.98% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 9.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 9.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 9.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 9.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 9.85% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 10.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 9.97% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Mauritania’s Unemployment in 1992?
10.05% (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 Mauritania’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +3.5% in total — about 0.1% 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: 10.32%; 2024: 10.26%; 2023: 10.37%; 2022: 10.52%; 2021: 11.13%. 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.