Moldova — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Moldova, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Moldova was 1.50% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 11.14% in 1999. The lowest was 0.79% in 2021 (about 1.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.68% per year.
Moldova ranks 178 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 95%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Moldova sits below it. It peaked in 1999 and has fallen 86% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 15%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 49 of 49 economies; Russian Federation (2.13%) is just above it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 95% in 1992. That is 9% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1994.
World ranking. Slipped: 161st of 187 in 1991 → 79th of 187 in 2000 → 161st of 187 in 2010 → 181st of 187 in 2020 → 173rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.57% | +0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 0.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 0.79% | -0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 1.21% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 1.24% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 1.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 1.78% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 1.45% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 1.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 2.19% | -0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 2.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 2.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 3.02% | +0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 2.1% | -0.7 pp |
| 2007 | 2.75% | -1.5 pp |
| 2006 | 4.26% | -1.4 pp |
| 2005 | 5.63% | -0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 6.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 6.38% | -0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 6.85% | -0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 7.37% | -1.2 pp |
| 2000 | 8.54% | -2.6 pp |
| 1999 | 11.14% | +1.1 pp |
| 1998 | 10% | +2.1 pp |
| 1997 | 7.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 7.9% | +2.6 pp |
| 1995 | 5.3% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 5.8% | +2.1 pp |
| 1993 | 3.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +1.8 pp |
| 1991 | 1.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Moldova’s Unemployment in 1992?
3.7% (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 Moldova’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -20.8% in total — about 0.7% 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: 1.51%; 2024: 1.43%; 2023: 1.57%; 2022: 0.91%; 2021: 0.79%. 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.