Zimbabwe — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Zimbabwe, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Zimbabwe was 9.29% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.09% in 2022. The lowest was 4.39% in 2004 (about 2.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.97% per year.
Zimbabwe ranks 42 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 22%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so Zimbabwe sits above it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 72%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 14 of 47 economies; Sao Tome and Principe (9.13%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 17% in 2020. That is 16% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2022. Doubling roughly every 36 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 108th of 187 in 1991 → 110th of 187 in 2000 → 113th of 187 in 2010 → 65th of 187 in 2020 → 38th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9.29% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 9.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 9.35% | -0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 10.09% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 9.54% | +0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 8.62% | +1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 7.37% | +0.6 pp |
| 2018 | 6.79% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 6.35% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 4.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 4.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 5.06% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 5.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 5.47% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 5.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +0.4 pp |
| 2007 | 5.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 4.77% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.63% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.39% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 4.74% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 5.01% | -0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 5.31% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 5.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 6% | -0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 6.38% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 6.93% | +0.8 pp |
| 1996 | 6.15% | +0.6 pp |
| 1995 | 5.57% | +0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 4.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 4.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 4.93% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 4.79% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zimbabwe’s Unemployment in 1992?
4.93% (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 Zimbabwe’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +93.9% in total — about 2.0% 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: 9.29%; 2024: 9.44%; 2023: 9.35%; 2022: 10.09%; 2021: 9.54%. 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.