Zambia — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Zambia, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Zambia was 5.92% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 19.70% in 1993. The lowest was 4.53% in 2017 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.36% per year.
Zambia ranks 80 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 43%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Zambia sits above it. It peaked in 1993 and has fallen 70% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 1%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 22 of 47 economies; Mauritius (5.63%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 33% in 2009. That is 6% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 13th of 187 in 1991 → 38th of 187 in 2000 → 35th of 187 in 2010 → 99th of 187 in 2020 → 75th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 5.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 5.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 5.99% | +0.8 pp |
| 2021 | 5.2% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 6.03% | +0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 5.54% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 5.03% | +0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 4.53% | -0.7 pp |
| 2016 | 5.24% | -0.7 pp |
| 2015 | 5.95% | -0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 6.58% | -0.7 pp |
| 2013 | 7.27% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 7.85% | -2.7 pp |
| 2011 | 10.55% | -2.6 pp |
| 2010 | 13.19% | +2.6 pp |
| 2009 | 10.58% | +2.7 pp |
| 2008 | 7.93% | -2.6 pp |
| 2007 | 10.56% | -2.7 pp |
| 2006 | 13.23% | -2.7 pp |
| 2005 | 15.9% | +0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 15.33% | +0.6 pp |
| 2003 | 14.7% | +0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 14.13% | +0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 13.4% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 12.93% | +0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 12.5% | +0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 12% | -1.3 pp |
| 1997 | 13.27% | -2.0 pp |
| 1996 | 15.3% | -1.5 pp |
| 1995 | 16.83% | -1.9 pp |
| 1994 | 18.69% | -1.0 pp |
| 1993 | 19.7% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 19.57% | +0.7 pp |
| 1991 | 18.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zambia’s Unemployment in 1992?
19.57% (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 Zambia’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -68.7% in total — about 3.4% 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: 5.92%; 2024: 5.9%; 2023: 5.86%; 2022: 5.99%; 2021: 5.2%. 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.