Youth Unemployment Rate by Country
Unemployment rate for people aged 15-24. Latest values for 190 economies.
Among 187 countries, Djibouti has the highest youth unemployment rate at 76.8% and Niger the lowest at 0.5% (latest available readings).
Youth Unemployment Rate by Region
Latest available reading (periods may differ by country). Choose a region or “All countries”.
Youth Unemployment Rate — All Countries
Sorted by latest value. Click headers to re-sort.
| # | Country | Last | Previous | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Djibouti | 76.8% | 76.5% | 2025 |
| 2 | South Africa | 59.9% | 60.2% | 2025 |
| 3 | Eswatini | 54.3% | 54.4% | 2025 |
| 4 | Libya | 50.1% | 50.6% | 2025 |
| 5 | Botswana | 46.0% | 45.3% | 2025 |
| 6 | St Vincent and the Grenadines | 41.9% | 41.9% | 2025 |
| 7 | Republic of the Congo | 40.5% | 40.6% | 2025 |
| 8 | Jordan | 38.9% | 39.1% | 2025 |
| 9 | Tunisia | 38.1% | 38.9% | 2025 |
| 10 | Namibia | 38.1% | 37.2% | 2025 |
| 11 | Haiti | 37.5% | 36.8% | 2025 |
| 12 | French Polynesia | 36.6% | 36.5% | 2025 |
| 13 | Gabon | 36.3% | 36.3% | 2025 |
| 14 | Palestine | 36.1% | 41.6% | 2022 |
| 15 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 34.2% | 34.1% | 2025 |
| 16 | New Caledonia | 33.1% | 31.8% | 2025 |
| 17 | Syria | 33.1% | 32.8% | 2025 |
| 18 | Yemen | 32.6% | 32.2% | 2025 |
| 19 | Iraq | 32.0% | 31.7% | 2025 |
| 20 | Georgia | 30.3% | 29.9% | 2025 |
| 21 | Algeria | 29.4% | 29.9% | 2025 |
| 22 | North Macedonia | 28.8% | 28.7% | 2025 |
| 23 | Cape Verde | 28.4% | 28.1% | 2025 |
| 24 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28.2% | 27.3% | 2025 |
| 25 | Angola | 27.2% | 26.7% | 2025 |
| 26 | Armenia | 26.2% | 26.7% | 2025 |
| 27 | Albania | 25.6% | 25.6% | 2025 |
| 28 | Suriname | 25.4% | 24.9% | 2025 |
| 29 | Uruguay | 25.1% | 26.7% | 2025 |
| 30 | Guyana | 24.9% | 24.7% | 2025 |
| 31 | Spain | 24.7% | 26.6% | 2025 |
| 32 | Lesotho | 24.7% | 24.7% | 2025 |
| 33 | Romania | 24.5% | 23.6% | 2025 |
| 34 | Montenegro | 24.4% | 24.0% | 2025 |
| 35 | Sweden | 24.3% | 24.3% | 2025 |
| 36 | US Virgin Islands | 24.2% | 23.0% | 2025 |
| 37 | Mauritania | 22.9% | 23.0% | 2025 |
| 38 | Lebanon | 22.7% | 22.9% | 2023 |
| 39 | Iran | 21.9% | 21.3% | 2025 |
| 40 | Morocco | 21.9% | 22.4% | 2025 |
| 41 | Chile | 21.6% | 21.0% | 2025 |
| 42 | Finland | 21.5% | 18.7% | 2025 |
| 43 | Luxembourg | 21.5% | 21.7% | 2025 |
| 44 | Greece | 21.4% | 22.4% | 2025 |
| 45 | Serbia | 20.9% | 21.4% | 2025 |
| 46 | Nepal | 20.6% | 20.6% | 2025 |
| 47 | Italy | 20.5% | 20.2% | 2025 |
| 48 | St Lucia | 20.3% | 21.3% | 2025 |
| 49 | Portugal | 20.2% | 21.8% | 2025 |
| 50 | Costa Rica | 19.9% | 20.5% | 2025 |
| 51 | Panama | 19.8% | 19.7% | 2025 |
| 52 | Estonia | 19.7% | 19.3% | 2025 |
| 53 | Belize | 19.3% | 18.6% | 2025 |
| 54 | Bahamas | 19.2% | 18.3% | 2025 |
| 55 | Argentina | 19.2% | 19.2% | 2025 |
| 56 | Ukraine | 19.1% | 19.4% | 2021 |
| 57 | France | 18.9% | 18.6% | 2025 |
| 58 | Sri Lanka | 18.6% | 19.1% | 2025 |
| 59 | South Sudan | 18.5% | 18.7% | 2023 |
| 60 | Barbados | 18.5% | 18.0% | 2025 |
| 61 | Slovakia | 18.4% | 19.0% | 2025 |
| 62 | Egypt | 18.3% | 17.3% | 2025 |
| 63 | Brunei | 18.2% | 17.9% | 2025 |
| 64 | Belgium | 17.8% | 17.3% | 2025 |
| 65 | Colombia | 17.7% | 19.4% | 2025 |
| 66 | Mauritius | 17.4% | 16.5% | 2025 |
| 67 | Bhutan | 17.1% | 17.9% | 2025 |
| 68 | Afghanistan | 16.8% | 17.2% | 2025 |
| 69 | Croatia | 16.5% | 16.5% | 2025 |
| 70 | Rwanda | 16.4% | 16.6% | 2025 |
| 71 | Euro Area | 16.3% | 16.4% | 2025 |
| 72 | European Union | 16.2% | 16.2% | 2025 |
| 73 | Turkey | 16.0% | 16.3% | 2025 |
| 74 | India | 16.0% | 15.7% | 2025 |
| 75 | China | 15.8% | 15.0% | 2025 |
| 76 | Equatorial Guinea | 15.7% | 15.6% | 2025 |
| 77 | Maldives | 15.7% | 14.8% | 2025 |
| 78 | Zimbabwe | 15.5% | 15.4% | 2025 |
| 79 | Kenya | 15.2% | 15.5% | 2025 |
| 80 | Fiji | 15.2% | 15.1% | 2025 |
| 81 | Kuwait | 15.1% | 15.1% | 2025 |
| 82 | United Kingdom | 14.6% | 14.3% | 2025 |
| 83 | Tajikistan | 14.6% | 14.6% | 2025 |
| 84 | New Zealand | 14.4% | 14.0% | 2025 |
| 85 | Hungary | 14.2% | 15.1% | 2025 |
| 86 | Channel Islands | 14.1% | 13.7% | 2025 |
| 87 | Puerto Rico (US) | 14.0% | 13.1% | 2025 |
| 88 | Brazil | 14.0% | 15.7% | 2025 |
| 89 | Oman | 13.9% | 13.5% | 2025 |
| 90 | Guam | 13.8% | 12.9% | 2025 |
| 91 | Canada | 13.8% | 13.3% | 2025 |
| 92 | Lithuania | 13.8% | 13.7% | 2025 |
| 93 | Norway | 13.4% | 12.1% | 2025 |
| 94 | 🌐World | 13.4% | 13.3% | 2025 |
| 95 | Azerbaijan | 13.1% | 13.5% | 2025 |
| 96 | Indonesia | 13.0% | 13.1% | 2025 |
| 97 | Samoa | 13.0% | 12.7% | 2025 |
| 98 | Latvia | 13.0% | 13.6% | 2025 |
| 99 | Cyprus | 12.7% | 12.9% | 2025 |
| 100 | Dominican Republic | 12.3% | 12.9% | 2025 |
| 101 | Sudan | 12.0% | 17.4% | 2022 |
| 102 | Malaysia | 12.0% | 12.3% | 2025 |
| 103 | Denmark | 11.7% | 11.8% | 2025 |
| 104 | Mongolia | 11.7% | 11.5% | 2025 |
| 105 | Paraguay | 11.7% | 13.4% | 2025 |
| 106 | Mozambique | 11.6% | 11.5% | 2025 |
| 107 | Uzbekistan | 11.4% | 10.8% | 2025 |
| 108 | Vanuatu | 11.3% | 11.4% | 2025 |
| 109 | Austria | 11.0% | 10.4% | 2025 |
| 110 | Gambia | 10.9% | 10.8% | 2025 |
| 111 | Jamaica | 10.8% | 10.4% | 2025 |
| 112 | Poland | 10.7% | 10.7% | 2025 |
| 113 | Ireland | 10.5% | 10.4% | 2025 |
| 114 | Zambia | 10.5% | 10.1% | 2025 |
| 115 | Venezuela | 10.4% | 10.2% | 2025 |
| 116 | Eritrea | 10.2% | 10.1% | 2025 |
| 117 | Bulgaria | 10.2% | 12.5% | 2025 |
| 118 | Central African Republic | 10.1% | 10.0% | 2025 |
| 119 | Turkmenistan | 10.0% | 9.3% | 2025 |
| 120 | Saudi Arabia | 10.0% | 11.5% | 2025 |
| 121 | Myanmar | 9.8% | 10.0% | 2025 |
| 122 | Australia | 9.6% | 9.4% | 2025 |
| 123 | Pakistan | 9.6% | 9.5% | 2025 |
| 124 | Nicaragua | 9.5% | 9.6% | 2025 |
| 125 | Slovenia | 9.5% | 11.0% | 2025 |
| 126 | Peru | 9.5% | 9.7% | 2025 |
| 127 | Bangladesh | 9.4% | 9.1% | 2025 |
| 128 | United States | 9.3% | 8.9% | 2025 |
| 129 | Czech Republic | 9.2% | 9.2% | 2025 |
| 130 | Belarus | 9.2% | 10.5% | 2025 |
| 131 | Switzerland | 9.0% | 8.2% | 2025 |
| 132 | Hong Kong | 9.0% | 9.5% | 2025 |
| 133 | Netherlands | 8.8% | 8.8% | 2025 |
| 134 | Sao Tome and Principe | 8.8% | 8.6% | 2025 |
| 135 | Comoros | 8.8% | 8.8% | 2025 |
| 136 | Iceland | 8.7% | 8.8% | 2025 |
| 137 | Honduras | 8.5% | 8.3% | 2025 |
| 138 | Malta | 8.4% | 9.1% | 2025 |
| 139 | Kyrgyzstan | 8.2% | 8.4% | 2025 |
| 140 | Trinidad and Tobago | 8.2% | 8.0% | 2025 |
| 141 | Ecuador | 8.2% | 8.6% | 2025 |
| 142 | North Korea | 7.9% | 7.8% | 2025 |
| 143 | DR Congo | 7.8% | 8.0% | 2025 |
| 144 | El Salvador | 7.8% | 7.5% | 2025 |
| 145 | Russia | 7.6% | 8.3% | 2025 |
| 146 | Philippines | 7.0% | 7.0% | 2025 |
| 147 | Guinea | 7.0% | 7.1% | 2025 |
| 148 | Malawi | 6.9% | 6.9% | 2025 |
| 149 | Germany | 6.9% | 6.6% | 2025 |
| 150 | Singapore | 6.8% | 6.3% | 2025 |
| 151 | Macao | 6.8% | 6.7% | 2025 |
| 152 | South Korea | 6.7% | 6.4% | 2025 |
| 153 | Cameroon | 6.5% | 6.6% | 2025 |
| 154 | United Arab Emirates | 6.5% | 6.4% | 2025 |
| 155 | Burkina Faso | 6.4% | 6.5% | 2025 |
| 156 | Vietnam | 6.2% | 6.3% | 2025 |
| 157 | Israel | 6.0% | 6.2% | 2025 |
| 158 | Tonga | 6.0% | 6.0% | 2025 |
| 159 | Ghana | 5.8% | 5.3% | 2025 |
| 160 | Mexico | 5.7% | 5.8% | 2025 |
| 161 | Bahrain | 5.4% | 5.5% | 2025 |
| 162 | Ethiopia | 5.4% | 5.4% | 2025 |
| 163 | Nigeria | 5.3% | 5.1% | 2025 |
| 164 | Madagascar | 5.2% | 5.5% | 2025 |
| 165 | Bolivia | 5.0% | 5.2% | 2025 |
| 166 | Guatemala | 4.8% | 4.6% | 2025 |
| 167 | Thailand | 4.5% | 4.7% | 2025 |
| 168 | Cuba | 4.3% | 4.3% | 2025 |
| 169 | Moldova | 4.2% | 4.5% | 2025 |
| 170 | Uganda | 4.2% | 4.2% | 2025 |
| 171 | Ivory Coast | 4.0% | 4.2% | 2025 |
| 172 | Japan | 3.9% | 3.9% | 2025 |
| 173 | Mali | 3.9% | 3.8% | 2025 |
| 174 | Kazakhstan | 3.8% | 3.8% | 2025 |
| 175 | Papua New Guinea | 3.8% | 3.8% | 2025 |
| 176 | Sierra Leone | 3.7% | 3.5% | 2025 |
| 177 | Timor-Leste | 3.7% | 3.2% | 2025 |
| 178 | Senegal | 3.6% | 3.9% | 2025 |
| 179 | Togo | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2025 |
| 180 | Benin | 2.9% | 3.1% | 2025 |
| 181 | Guinea-Bissau | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2025 |
| 182 | Solomon Islands | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2025 |
| 183 | Laos | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2025 |
| 184 | Tanzania | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2025 |
| 185 | Liberia | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2025 |
| 186 | Burundi | 1.7% | 1.7% | 2025 |
| 187 | Chad | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2025 |
| 188 | Cambodia | 0.7% | 0.7% | 2025 |
| 189 | Qatar | 0.6% | 0.6% | 2025 |
| 190 | Niger | 0.5% | 0.4% | 2025 |
Youth Unemployment Rate around the world — in simple words
Overview
Youth Unemployment Rate is available for 187 economies with recent data. The median value is 13.0% and the simple average is 15.7%.
Highest: Djibouti (76.8%), South Africa (59.9%), Eswatini (54.3%), Libya (50.1%), Botswana (46.0%).
Lowest: Niger (0.5%), Qatar (0.6%), Cambodia (0.7%), Chad (1.5%), Burundi (1.7%).
Major economies
Among the 19 major economies tracked here, South Africa (59.9%) has the highest reading and Japan (3.9%) the lowest. Their median is 13.0%.
Youth Unemployment Rate — Regional Medians
Median of the latest readings of countries in each World Bank region. The median is the middle value — half the countries are above it and half below.
| Region | Countries | Median |
|---|---|---|
| East Asia & Pacific | 29 | 9.0% |
| Europe & Central Asia | 49 | 14.2% |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 31 | 14.0% |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 23 | 21.9% |
| North America | 2 | 11.6% |
| South Asia | 6 | 16.5% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 47 | 8.8% |
Understanding Youth Unemployment Rate — a simple guide
What it measures
The unemployment rate for people aged 15–24.
How it is calculated
Unemployed people aged 15–24 ÷ labour force aged 15–24 × 100.
A rate of 15% means 15 of every 100 young people in the labour force cannot find work.
High youth unemployment can signal difficulty absorbing new workers.
Low youth unemployment means young people find jobs relatively easily.
Why it matters for the economy and markets
Youth unemployment reflects how well an economy absorbs new entrants to the labour market.
How to read it
It is usually two to three times the overall rate; sharp rises often appear early in downturns.
How to use the chart
Use the 5Y / 10Y / 25Y / Max buttons to change the time range, or drag the slider under the chart. Hover (or tap) on the line to see the exact value for any period. Dashed lines and hatched bars are IMF projections, not actual data. The “Download CSV” button gives you the full data series.
Frequently asked questions
What does youth unemployment rate measure?
Which country has the highest youth unemployment rate?
Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.