Samoa — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Samoa, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Samoa was 5.00% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 9.40% in 2017. The lowest was 2.10% in 1991 (about 2.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.58% per year.
Samoa ranks 102 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 55%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so Samoa sits above it. It peaked in 2017 and has fallen 47% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 44%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 9 of 29 economies; China (4.62%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 54% in 2012. That is 29% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1999. Doubling roughly every 27 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 156th of 187 in 1991 → 125th of 187 in 2000 → 110th of 187 in 2010 → 80th of 187 in 2020 → 97th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 4.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 4.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 5.05% | -1.6 pp |
| 2021 | 6.66% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 7.47% | -0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 7.86% | -0.8 pp |
| 2018 | 8.65% | -0.8 pp |
| 2017 | 9.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 9.06% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 8.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 8.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 8.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 8.75% | +3.1 pp |
| 2011 | 5.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 5.62% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 5.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 5.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 5.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 5.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 5.21% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 5.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 4.97% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 4.96% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 4.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 4.49% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 4.13% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 3.78% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 3.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 3.24% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 3% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 2.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 2.44% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 2.1% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Samoa’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.44% (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 Samoa’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +137.9% in total — about 2.6% 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%; 2024: 4.86%; 2023: 4.92%; 2022: 5.05%; 2021: 6.66%. 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.