The CIA World Factbook Edition 2012 Economy

Unemployment rate In 36 editions of 36.

Unemployment rate was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 2012 edition carries it in 231 entries, in its Economy section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.

entries in the 2012 edition
231
the first edition with it
1990
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Unemployment rate” (1990 to 2025), and under 1 other heading in a few entries, mostly where the source split this field into parts.

the entry has the field in that editionnot in that editionthe open editionEach entry below ends in its editions with Unemployment rate, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down; choose one in a row to read that edition’s text there.

2012

Every edition with Unemployment rate

Entries with Unemployment rate in each edition

19902000201020202025

Select a bar to open that edition.

World

1 entry

World

9.2% (2012 est.)

  • 8.4% (2011 est.)

note: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment (2007 est.)

Africa

55 entries

Algeria

10.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 110
  • 10% (2011 est.)

Angola

NA

Benin

NA%

Botswana

7.5% (2007 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 85

Burkina Faso

77% (2004)

  • country comparison to the world: 198

Burundi

NA%

Cape Verde now Cabo Verde

21% (2000 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 164

Cameroon

30% (2001 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 177

Central African Republic

8% (2001 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 94

note: 23% unemployment in Bangui

Chad

NA%

Comoros

20% (1996 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 160

Congo, Democratic Republic of the now Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA%

Congo, Republic of the now Republic of the Congo

NA%

Cote d'Ivoire

NA%

Djibouti

59% (2007 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 195

note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas

Egypt

12.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 130
  • 12% (2011 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

22.3% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 166

Eritrea

NA%

Swaziland now Eswatini

40% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 187

Ethiopia

NA%

Gabon

21% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 163

Gambia, The now The Gambia

NA%

Ghana

11% (2000 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 119

Guinea

NA%

Guinea-Bissau

NA%

Kenya

40% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 185
  • 40% (2001 est.)

Lesotho

45% (2002)

  • country comparison to the world: 190

Liberia

85% (2003 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 199

Libya

30% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 180

Malawi

NA%

Mali

30% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 178

Mauritania

30% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 179
  • 20% (2004 est.)

Mauritius

8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 92
  • 7.9% (2011 est.)

Mayotte

25.4% (2005)

  • country comparison to the world: 173

Morocco

8.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 102
  • 8.9% (2011 est.)

Mozambique

21% (1997 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 162

Namibia

51.2% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 194
  • 36.7% (2004 est.)

Niger

NA%

Nigeria

23.9% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 169
  • 4.9% (2011 est.)

Rwanda

NA%

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

14% (1998 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 137

Sao Tome and Principe

NA%

Senegal

48% (2007 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 193

Seychelles

2% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 13

Sierra Leone

NA%

Somalia

NA%

South Africa

24.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 170
  • 24.9% (2011 est.)

Sudan

20% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 161
  • 18.7% (2002 est.)

Tanzania

NA%

Togo

NA%

Tunisia

18.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 157
  • 19% (2011 est.)

Uganda

NA%

Western Sahara

NA%

Zambia

14% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 138
  • 50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe

95% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 201
  • 80% (2005 est.)

note: figures reflect underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and, under current economic conditions, unknowable

Arctic Region

2 entries

Greenland

4.9% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 48
  • 4.2% (2010 est.)

Iceland

5.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 56
  • 7.4% (2011 est.)

Asia

22 entries

Afghanistan

35% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 182
  • 40% (2005 est.)

Armenia

7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 79
  • 5.9% (2011 est.)

Azerbaijan

1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 7
  • 6% (2011 est.)

Bangladesh

5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 49
  • 5% (2011 est.)

note: about 40% of the population is underemployed; many participants in the labor force work only a few hours a week, at low wages

Bhutan

4% (2009)

  • country comparison to the world: 34
  • 2.5% (2004)

China

6.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 67
  • 6.5% (2011 est.)

note: registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants was 4.1% in 2010

Georgia

16.3% (2010 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 153
  • 16.9% (2009 est.)

India

9.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 108
  • 9.8% (2011 est.)

Japan

4.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 43
  • 4.6% (2011 est.)

Kazakhstan

5.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 52
  • 5.4% (2011 est.)

Korea, North now North Korea

NA%

Korea, South now South Korea

3.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 32
  • 3.4% (2011 est.)

Kyrgyzstan

8.6% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 100
  • 18% (2004 est.)

Maldives

28% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 175
  • 14.5% (2010 est.)

Mongolia

9% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 104
  • 13% (2010)

Nepal

46% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 192
  • 42% (2004 est.)

Pakistan

5.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 55
  • 5.6% (2011 est.)

note: substantial underemployment exists

Russia

6.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 62
  • 6.6% (2011 est.)

Sri Lanka

5.1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 50
  • 4.2% (2011 est.)

Tajikistan

2.2% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 19
  • 2.3% (2008 est.)

note: official rates; actual unemployment is much higher

Turkmenistan

60% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 197

Uzbekistan

1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 5
  • 1% (2011 est.)

note: officially measured by the Ministry of Labor, plus another 20% underemployed

Central America and the Caribbean

30 entries

Anguilla

8% (2002)

  • country comparison to the world: 96

Antigua and Barbuda

11% (2001 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 118

Aruba

6.9% (2005 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 75

Bahamas, The now The Bahamas

14.2% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 140
  • 8.7% (2008 est.)

Barbados

11.2% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 121
  • 10.8% (2010 est.)

Belize

13.1% (2009)

  • country comparison to the world: 135
  • 8.2% (2008)

British Virgin Islands

3.6% (1997)

  • country comparison to the world: 30

Cayman Islands

4% (2008)

  • country comparison to the world: 33
  • 4.4% (2004)

Costa Rica

7.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 91
  • 6.5% (2011 est.)

Cuba

3.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 31
  • 3.2% (2011 est.)

Curacao

10.3% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 112

Dominica

23% (2000 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 167

Dominican Republic

14.7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 143
  • 14.6% (2011 est.)

El Salvador

6.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 77
  • 7% (2011 est.)

note: data are official rates; but the economy has much underemployment

Grenada

25% (2008)

  • country comparison to the world: 173
  • 12.5% (2000)

Guatemala

4.1% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 36
  • 3.5% (2010 est.)

Haiti

40.6% (2010 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 188

note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs

Honduras

4.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 45
  • 4.9% (2011 est.)

note: about one-third of the people are underemployed

Jamaica

14.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 139
  • 14.1% (2011 est.)

Montserrat

6% (1998 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 58

Nicaragua

7.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 83
  • 7.3% (2011 est.)

note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008

Panama

4.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 41
  • 4.5% (2011 est.)

Puerto Rico

16% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 152
  • 12% (2002 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

4.5% (1997)

  • country comparison to the world: 46

Saint Lucia

20% (2003 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 159

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

15% (2001 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 144

Sint Maarten

10.6% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 115

Trinidad and Tobago

6.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 64
  • 5.5% (2011 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

10% (1997 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 109

Virgin Islands

6.2% (2004)

  • country comparison to the world: 61

Europe

48 entries

Albania

13% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 134
  • 13.3% (2011 est.)

note: these are official rates, but actual rates may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming

Andorra

1.9% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 10
  • 1.2% (2010 est.)

Austria

4.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 42
  • 4.2% (2011 est.)

Belarus

1% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 6
  • 1.6% (2005)

note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers

Belgium

7.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 87
  • 7.2% (2011 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

43.3% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 189
  • 43.1% (2010 est.)

note: official rate; actual rate is lower as many technically unemployed persons work in the gray economy

Bulgaria

9.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 107
  • 9.6% (2011 est.)

Croatia

19% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 158
  • 17.8% (2011 est.)

Czech Republic now Czechia

8.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 101
  • 8.5% (2011 est.)

Denmark

6.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 66
  • 6.1% (2011 est.)

Estonia

11.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 125
  • 12.5% (2011 est.)

European Union

10.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 114
  • 9.7% (2011)

Faroe Islands

6.8% (2011)

  • country comparison to the world: 72
  • 5.7% (2010)

Finland

7.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 81
  • 7.8% (2011 est.)

France

9.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 106
  • 9.2% (2011 est.)

Germany

6.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 69
  • 7.1% (2011 est.)

Gibraltar

3% (2005 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 26

Greece

24.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 171
  • 17.4% (2011 est.)

Guernsey

0.9% (March 2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 4

Hungary

11.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 122
  • 10.9% (2011 est.)

Ireland

14.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 142
  • 14.4% (2011 est.)

Isle of Man

2% (April 2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 12
  • 1.8% (October 2010 est.)

Italy

10.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 117
  • 8.4% (2011 est.)

Jersey

2.2% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 18

Kosovo

45.3% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 191
  • 45.4% (2010 est.)

note: Kosovo has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

Latvia

14.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 141
  • 12.8% (2011 est.)

Liechtenstein

2.8% (2009)

  • country comparison to the world: 23
  • 1.5% (2007)

Lithuania

15.7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 150
  • 15.4% (2011 est.)

Luxembourg

4.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 47
  • 5.7% (2011 est.)

Malta

6.1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 60
  • 6.4% (2011 est.)

Moldova

6.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 76
  • 6.7% (2011 est.)

Monaco

0% (2005)

  • country comparison to the world: 1

Montenegro

11.5% (2011 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 124
  • 14.7% (2007 est.)

Netherlands

6.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 73
  • 5.8% (2011 est.)

Macedonia now North Macedonia

31.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 181
  • 31.4% (2011 est.)

Norway

3.1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 27
  • 3.3% (2011 est.)

Poland

12.6% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 131
  • 12.4% (2011 est.)

Portugal

15.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 148
  • 12.7% (2011 est.)

Romania

4.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 40
  • 5.1% (2011 est.)

San Marino

5.5% (2011)

  • country comparison to the world: 54
  • 4.9% (2010)

Serbia

25.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 174
  • 23.7% (2011 est.)

Slovakia

12.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 132
  • 13.2% (2011 est.)

Slovenia

12.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 128
  • 11.8% (2011 est.)

Spain

24.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 172
  • 21.7% (2011 est.)

Sweden

7.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 84
  • 7.5% (2011 est.)

Switzerland

3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 24
  • 2.8% (2011 est.)

Ukraine

8.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 99
  • 7.9% (2011 est.)

note: officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers

United Kingdom

7.8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 90
  • 8.1% (2011 est.)

Middle East

17 entries

Bahrain

15% (2005 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 145

Cyprus

8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 93
  • 7.9% (2011 est.)

Gaza Strip

40% (2010 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 186
  • 40% (2009 est.)

Iran

15.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 149
  • 15.3% (2011 est.)

note: data are according to the Iranian Government

Iraq

16% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 151
  • 15% (2010 est.)

Israel

6.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 65
  • 5.6% (2011 est.)

Jordan

12.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 129
  • 12.3% (2011 est.)

note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Kuwait

2.2% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 17

Lebanon

NA%

Oman

15% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 146

Qatar

0.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 2
  • 0.4% (2011 est.)

Saudi Arabia

10.7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 116
  • 10.9% (2011 est.)

note: data are for Saudi males only (local bank estimates; some estimates range as high as 25%)

Syria

18% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 155
  • 14.9% (2011 est.)

Turkey now Turkiye

9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 103
  • 9.8% (2011 est.)

note: underemployment amounted to 4% in 2008

United Arab Emirates

2.4% (2001)

  • country comparison to the world: 20

West Bank

23% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 168
  • 23.5% (2011 est.)

Yemen

35% (2003 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 183

North America

5 entries

Bermuda

2.1% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 16

Canada

7.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 82
  • 7.5% (2011 est.)

Mexico

4.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 44
  • 5.2% (2011 est.)

note: underemployment may be as high as 25%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

10.3% (1999)

  • country comparison to the world: 111

United States

8.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 98
  • 9% (2011 est.)

Oceania

23 entries

American Samoa

29.8% (2005)

  • country comparison to the world: 176

Australia

5.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 51
  • 5.1% (2011 est.)

Cook Islands

13.1% (2005)

  • country comparison to the world: 136

Fiji

7.6% (1999)

  • country comparison to the world: 88

French Polynesia

11.7% (2005)

  • country comparison to the world: 126

Guam

11.4% (2002 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 123

Kiribati

2% (1992 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 11

Marshall Islands

36% (2006 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 184
  • 30.9% (2000 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of now Federated States of Micronesia

22% (2000 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 165

Nauru

90% (2004 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 200

New Caledonia

17.1% (2004)

  • country comparison to the world: 154

New Zealand

6.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 70
  • 6.5% (2011 est.)

Niue

12% (2001)

  • country comparison to the world: 127

Northern Mariana Islands

8% (2005 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 95
  • 3.9% (2001)

Palau

4.2% (2005 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 37

Papua New Guinea

1.9% (2008 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 9
  • 1.8% (2004)

Samoa

NA%

Solomon Islands

NA%

Tokelau

NA%

Tonga

13% (FY03/04 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

Tuvalu

NA%

Vanuatu

1.7% (1999)

  • country comparison to the world: 8

Wallis and Futuna

15.2% (2003)

  • country comparison to the world: 147

South America

13 entries

Argentina

7.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 80
  • 7.2% (2011 est.)

Bolivia

7.5% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 86
  • 7.6% (2011 est.)

note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment

Brazil

6.2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 63
  • 6% (2011 est.)

Chile

6.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 68
  • 6.6% (2011 est.)

Colombia

10.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 113
  • 10.8% (2011 est.)

Ecuador

5.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 57
  • 6% (2011 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

4.1% (2010)

  • country comparison to the world: 35

Guyana

11% (2007)

  • country comparison to the world: 120

Paraguay

6.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 74
  • 6.6% (2011 est.)

Peru

7.7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 89
  • 7.9% (2011 est.)

note: data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Suriname

9% (2008)

  • country comparison to the world: 105
  • 12.1% (2006)

Uruguay

6.1% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 59
  • 6% (2011 est.)

Venezuela

8% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 97
  • 8.2% (2011 est.)

Southeast Asia

15 entries

Brunei

2.7% (2010)

  • country comparison to the world: 22
  • 3.7% (2008)

Burma now Burma (Myanmar)

5.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 53
  • 5.5% (2011 est.)

Cambodia

3.5% (2007 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 29
  • 2.5% (2000 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

60% (2000 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 196

Hong Kong

3.4% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 28
  • 3.4% (2011 est.)

Indonesia

6.7% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 71
  • 6.6% (2011 est.)

Laos

2.5% (2009 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 21
  • 2.4% (2005 est.)

Macau

2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 15
  • 2.2% (2011 est.)

Malaysia

3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 25
  • 3.1% (2011 est.)

Philippines

6.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 78
  • 7% (2011 est.)

Singapore

2% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 14
  • 2% (2011 est.)

Taiwan

4.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 39
  • 4.4% (2011 est.)

Thailand

0.9% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 3
  • 0.7% (2011 est.)

Timor-Leste

18.4% (2010 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 156
  • 20% (2006 est.)

Vietnam

4.3% (2012 est.)

  • country comparison to the world: 38
  • 3.6% (2011 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2012, “Unemployment rate”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/unemployment-rate/2012.

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