As of March 2025, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate among the 19* countries that are members of the G20. The unemployment rate in South Africa stood at **** percent that year. The country has recently been plagued by an economic downturn, including energy shortages and high unemployment levels. On the other hand, Japan had the lowest unemployment rate at just *** percent. Economic inequality in South Africa Not only does South Africa top the G20 in overall unemployment, but it also has a significant level of youth unemployment, as nearly half of the young population is unemployed. Thirty years after the end of Apartheid, South Africa is also still one of the most unequal countries in the world, with a Gini score of ****. The prominence of inequality in the country makes escaping unemployment and underemployment difficult. Japanese economic slowdown While Japan had the lowest unemployment rate out of all G20 nations, as well as the lowest youth unemployment rate out of the G20 nations, Japan’s economy is still facing many challenges. With an aging population, the total Japanese population is facing a rapid decline, meaning that it will struggle to have enough workers participating in the labor market. Despite this, Japan maintains strict immigration policies, limiting the chances for foreign workers to move to Japan. Moreover, Japan has the second lowest fertility rate out of the G7 nations and one of the lowest fertility rates globally, adding another challenge in addressing population shrinkage.

The average for 2025 based on 101 countries was 6.64 percent. The highest value was in Sudan: 61.99 percent and the lowest value was in Thailand: 1 percent. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2030. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2023, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate in the world, at 32.1 percent. Of the 10 countries with the highest unemployment rates, six were in Sub-Saharan Africa. What exactly is unemployment? The unemployment rate is the number of people in the workforce currently looking for jobs but not working. This number does not include students and retirees, as they are not looking for work, nor does it include people who have given up on finding a job (known as discouraged workers). Comparing international unemployment rates can be problematic, however, as different countries use different methodologies when classifying unemployment. For example, Niger records the third lowest unemployment rate in the world, despite often being listed as the least developed country worldwide - this is because the majority of the population engage in subsistence farming, with very little opportunity for paid employment. Causes of unemployment in less developed countries A major driver in unemployment in these countries is conflict. In particular, internally displaced persons (IDPs) want to work, but moving to another part of the country disrupts their business network and moves them into a local economy with different labor demand. Countries with low levels of economic development, as roughly indicated by a low GDP per capita, often have fewer labor market opportunities, leading to high unemployment rates.

Niger was the country in the world with the lowest youth unemployment rate at only 0.4 percent in 2023. Sub-Saharan Africa is the world region with the highest youth unemployment rates worldwide. Qatar had the second lowest youth unemployment rate in the world at 0.5 percent, followed by Cambodia at 0.7 percent. The unemployment rate only shows the share of youth who have actively registered as unemployed, not the actual share of youth who are out of employment.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 30-34 Yrs. (LNU04024933) from Jan 1981 to Aug 2025 about 30 to 34 years, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Among European Union countries in July 2025, Spain had the highest unemployment rate at 10.4 percent, followed by Finland at 10 percent. By contrast, Malta has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, at 2.6 percent. The overall rate of unemployment in the European Union was 5.9 percent in the same month - a historical low-point for unemployment in the EU, which had been at over 10 percent for much of the 2010s.

The ranking of the countries with the lowest and highest unemployment rates demonstrates significant differences in economic stability and employment opportunities in different countries of the world.

The average for 2024 based on 27 countries was 6.32 percent. The highest value was in Somalia: 18.86 percent and the lowest value was in Niger: 0.35 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - 20 Yrs. & over (LNU04000024) from Jan 1948 to Aug 2025 about 20 years +, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Youth Unemployment Rate for Least Developed Countries (SLUEM1524ZSLDC) from 1991 to 2024 about unemployment and rate.

Key information about Mexico Unemployment Rate

• Mexico Unemployment Rate increased to 2.61% in Jan 2025, from the previously reported figure of 2.60% in Dec 2024.
• Mexico Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 2005 to Jan 2025, with an average rate of 3.81%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 5.89% in Sep 2009 and a record low of 2.44% in Oct 2024.
• The data is reported by reported by National Institute of Statistics and Geography.
• In the latest reports, Mexico Population reached 131.72 million people in Dec 2024.

The average for 2023 based on 177 countries was 8.15 percent. The highest value was in Swaziland: 36.7 percent and the lowest value was in Cambodia: 0.25 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Unemployment Rate in the United States increased to 4.30 percent in August from 4.20 percent in July of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

From the second quarter of 2022, France was the country of those included in the chart with the highest unemployment rates. During the first quarter of 2024, the European country registered an unemployment rate of **** percent. In the same quarter, Japan had the lowest unemployment rates of the countries included. China does not release quarterly unemployment rate statistics anymore. Monthly unemployment data can be found here.

The average for 2023 based on 177 countries was 6.35 percent. The highest value was in Swaziland: 33.55 percent and the lowest value was in Qatar: 0.08 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Women (LNS14000002) from Jan 1948 to Aug 2025 about females, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Brunei Darussalam was the country in the world with the lowest unemployment rate among its foreign-born population, standing at only *** percent in 2022. It was also one of the country's with the highest labor force participation rates among foreign-born citizens.