The latest plotted observation compared with the one immediately before it.
Jobs · estimated
Unemployment rate
The share of the labor force without work, available for work, and actively seeking work, using a modeled ILO estimate.
Latest available value4.8%
World · 2025
Change from 2024-0.0 pts
One period comparison, not annualized
Data statusLatest available
Source identifies this concept as estimated
Historical observationsUnemployment in World
4.8%2025
Explain this chart
Economic demand, Industry mix, Labor force participation
This modeled estimate improves comparability but can differ from a country’s headline national measure.
View accessible data table
| Period | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.8% | observed |
| 2024 | 4.8% | observed |
| 2023 | 4.8% | observed |
| 2022 | 5.2% | observed |
| 2021 | 6% | observed |
| 2020 | 6.6% | observed |
| 2019 | 5.6% | observed |
| 2018 | 5.8% | observed |
| 2017 | 5.9% | observed |
| 2016 | 6% | observed |
Why it matters
It signals how readily people can find work, but it excludes people who are not counted in the labor force.
People often affected
- Workers
- Families
- Employers
- Governments
- 01Economic demand
- 02Industry mix
- 03Labor force participation
- 04Policy
These are common mechanisms, not claims about what caused the latest movement.
Limits of this data
This modeled estimate improves comparability but can differ from a country’s headline national measure.
Revision status: The API does not expose a revision flag for these observations. Treat recent values as revisable.
Official source
World Bank: World Development Indicators
Series SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Snapshot retrieved Aug 5, 2026. Reporting frequency: annual. Seasonal adjustment: modeled ilo estimate.