Serbia — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Serbia, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Serbia was 7.12% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 24.00% in 2012. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.84% per year.
Serbia ranks 61 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 33%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Serbia sits above it. It peaked in 2012 and has fallen 70% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 60%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 15 of 49 economies; Tajikistan (6.93%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 24% in 2008. That is 34% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 35th of 187 in 1991 → 42nd of 187 in 2000 → 17th of 187 in 2010 → 60th of 187 in 2020 → 56th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 7.24% | -1.0 pp |
| 2023 | 8.27% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 8.44% | -1.4 pp |
| 2021 | 9.84% | +0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 9.01% | -1.4 pp |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -2.3 pp |
| 2018 | 12.73% | -0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 13.48% | -1.8 pp |
| 2016 | 15.26% | -2.4 pp |
| 2015 | 17.66% | -1.6 pp |
| 2014 | 19.22% | -2.9 pp |
| 2013 | 22.15% | -1.8 pp |
| 2012 | 24% | +1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 22.96% | +3.8 pp |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +3.1 pp |
| 2009 | 16.12% | +2.4 pp |
| 2008 | 13.67% | -4.4 pp |
| 2007 | 18.06% | -2.8 pp |
| 2006 | 20.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 20.85% | +2.4 pp |
| 2004 | 18.5% | +3.3 pp |
| 2003 | 15.2% | +1.4 pp |
| 2002 | 13.8% | +1.0 pp |
| 2001 | 12.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 12.6% | -1.1 pp |
| 1999 | 13.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 13.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 13.8% | +0.6 pp |
| 1996 | 13.2% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 13.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 13.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 13.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 13.37% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Serbia’s Unemployment in 1992?
13.4% (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 Serbia’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -46.7% in total — about 1.8% 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: 7.12%; 2024: 7.24%; 2023: 8.27%; 2022: 8.44%; 2021: 9.84%. 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.