Sweden — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Sweden, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Sweden was 8.69% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.36% in 1997. The lowest was 3.24% in 1991 (about 2.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.94% per year.
Sweden ranks 48 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 26%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Sweden sits above it. It peaked in 1997 and has fallen 16% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 17%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 10 of 49 economies; Greece (8.54%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 76% in 1992. That is 14% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1993. Doubling roughly every 24 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 129th of 187 in 1991 → 114th of 187 in 2000 → 64th of 187 in 2010 → 67th of 187 in 2020 → 44th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 8.4% | +0.8 pp |
| 2023 | 7.61% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 7.42% | -1.4 pp |
| 2021 | 8.8% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 8.29% | +1.5 pp |
| 2019 | 6.83% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 6.37% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 6.72% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 6.99% | -0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 7.43% | -0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 7.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 8.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 7.98% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 7.8% | -0.8 pp |
| 2010 | 8.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 8.35% | +2.1 pp |
| 2008 | 6.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 6.16% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 7.07% | -0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 7.81% | +1.1 pp |
| 2004 | 6.69% | +1.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.56% | +0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 4.97% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 4.73% | -0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 5.47% | -2.1 pp |
| 1999 | 7.61% | -1.3 pp |
| 1998 | 8.94% | -1.4 pp |
| 1997 | 10.36% | +0.8 pp |
| 1996 | 9.55% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 8.9% | -0.7 pp |
| 1994 | 9.58% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 9.33% | +3.6 pp |
| 1992 | 5.72% | +2.5 pp |
| 1991 | 3.24% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sweden’s Unemployment in 1992?
5.72% (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 Sweden’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +168.1% in total — about 2.9% 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: 8.69%; 2024: 8.4%; 2023: 7.61%; 2022: 7.42%; 2021: 8.8%. 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.