Pakistan — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Pakistan, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Pakistan was 5.42% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.34% in 2021. The lowest was 0.40% in 2007 (about 13.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 6.71% per year.
Pakistan ranks 88 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 47%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 9.00%, so Pakistan sits below it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 14% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 52%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 15 of 23 economies; Israel (3.49%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 361% in 2012. That is 15% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2012; grown tenfold by 2020. Doubling roughly every 11 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 187th of 187 in 1991 → 187th of 187 in 2000 → 185th of 187 in 2010 → 101st of 187 in 2020 → 83rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 5.49% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 5.24% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 5.29% | -1.0 pp |
| 2021 | 6.34% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 5.99% | +1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 4.83% | +0.7 pp |
| 2018 | 4.08% | +0.9 pp |
| 2017 | 3.2% | +0.9 pp |
| 2016 | 2.29% | -1.3 pp |
| 2015 | 3.57% | +1.7 pp |
| 2014 | 1.83% | -1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.95% | -0.7 pp |
| 2012 | 3.67% | +2.9 pp |
| 2011 | 0.8% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 0.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 0.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 0.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 0.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 0.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 0.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 0.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 0.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 0.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 0.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 0.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 0.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 0.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 0.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 0.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 0.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Pakistan’s Unemployment in 1992?
0.59% (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 Pakistan’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +809.4% in total — about 6.7% 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: 5.42%; 2024: 5.49%; 2023: 5.24%; 2022: 5.29%; 2021: 6.34%. 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.