Unemployment in the biggest economies, 1991 to 2025
Among the large economies charted, South Africa's unemployment rate is the highest at 32.4% in 2025, followed by Spain at 10.4% and Türkiye at 8.5%.
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What the data shows
- In 2025, South Africa ranks #1 with 32.4%, ahead of Spain (10.4%) and Türkiye (8.5%).
- The top spot changed hands 4 times, first to Spain in 1994, most recently to South Africa in 2014.
- Biggest climber: Argentina, from #13 in 1991 to #5 in 2025.
About this chart
South Africa stands far above the other large economies on unemployment: 32.4% of its labor force in 2025, up from 23.1% in 1991. Spain is next at 10.4%, down from 15.9% in 1991, followed by Türkiye (8.5%), France (7.5%) and Argentina (7.1%). Canada (6.9%), Italy (6.4%) and Brazil (6.0%) come after them, while the United Kingdom (4.7%) and China (4.6%) have the lowest rates in the 2025 top ten.
The numbers are the World Bank's modeled estimates from the International Labour Organization, showing unemployed people as a share of the total labor force. Unemployed means without work but available for and looking for it. Because the figures are modeled, they can differ from each country's own survey results. The series starts in 1991, when the five highest rates were South Africa, Spain, Canada (10.3%), Italy (10.1%) and Australia (9.6%), and the chart tracks how those rates have moved since.
The data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), unemployment, % of total labor force (modeled ILO estimate). Retrieved November 4, 2026.
| Date | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 🇫🇷 France | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 🇨🇦 Canada | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 🇨🇳 China | 🇮🇳 India | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇷🇺 Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 23.1% | 15.9% | 8.2% | 9.1% | 5.4% | 10.3% | 10.1% | 6.9% | 8.6% | 2.4% | 7.6% | 6.8% | 9.6% | 5.3% | 2.6% | 7.3% | 5.1% |
| 1992 | 23.5% | 17.7% | 8.5% | 10.2% | 6.4% | 11.2% | 9.3% | 7.1% | 9.8% | 2.4% | 7.6% | 7.5% | 10.7% | 6.3% | 2.7% | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| 1993 | 23.4% | 22.2% | 9.0% | 11.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% | 10.2% | 6.0% | 10.3% | 2.7% | 7.7% | 6.9% | 10.9% | 7.7% | 2.8% | 7.0% | 5.9% |
| 1994 | 23.1% | 24.2% | 8.6% | 12.6% | 11.8% | 10.4% | 11.1% | 6.6% | 9.6% | 2.9% | 7.6% | 6.1% | 9.7% | 8.7% | 4.4% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 1995 | 22.7% | 22.7% | 7.6% | 11.8% | 18.8% | 9.5% | 11.7% | 7.1% | 8.7% | 3.0% | 7.6% | 5.7% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 4.6% | 6.4% | 9.4% |
| 1996 | 22.5% | 22.1% | 6.6% | 12.4% | 17.1% | 9.6% | 11.9% | 8.0% | 8.2% | 3.1% | 7.5% | 5.5% | 8.5% | 8.8% | 4.9% | 5.8% | 9.7% |
| 1997 | 22.5% | 20.7% | 6.8% | 12.6% | 14.8% | 9.1% | 12.0% | 9.0% | 7.1% | 3.2% | 7.6% | 5.0% | 8.4% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 5.3% | 11.8% |
| 1998 | 22.7% | 18.7% | 6.9% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 8.3% | 12.1% | 10.2% | 6.2% | 3.2% | 7.6% | 4.5% | 7.7% | 9.8% | 5.5% | 4.8% | 13.3% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | 15.5% | 7.7% | 12.0% | 14.1% | 7.6% | 11.7% | 11.1% | 6.0% | 3.2% | 7.6% | 4.2% | 6.9% | 8.9% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 13.0% |
| 2000 | 22.8% | 13.8% | 6.5% | 10.2% | 15.0% | 6.8% | 10.8% | 10.9% | 5.6% | 3.3% | 7.6% | 4.0% | 6.3% | 7.9% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 10.6% |
| 2001 | 22.7% | 10.3% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 17.3% | 7.2% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 4.7% | 3.8% | 7.6% | 4.7% | 6.7% | 7.8% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 9.0% |
| 2002 | 22.6% | 11.1% | 10.4% | 8.7% | 19.6% | 7.7% | 9.2% | 10.6% | 5.0% | 4.2% | 7.7% | 5.8% | 6.4% | 8.5% | 6.6% | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | 11.3% | 10.5% | 8.3% | 15.4% | 7.6% | 8.9% | 11.2% | 4.8% | 4.6% | 7.6% | 6.0% | 5.9% | 9.8% | 6.7% | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| 2004 | 22.6% | 11.1% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 13.5% | 7.2% | 7.9% | 10.1% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 10.7% | 7.3% | 5.8% | 7.8% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | 9.1% | 10.6% | 8.9% | 11.5% | 6.8% | 7.7% | 10.6% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 11.2% | 7.9% | 6.1% | 7.1% |
| 2006 | 22.3% | 8.5% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 10.1% | 6.5% | 6.8% | 9.7% | 5.5% | 4.4% | 7.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 10.3% | 7.6% | 6.3% | 7.1% |
| 2007 | 22.3% | 8.2% | 10.3% | 8.0% | 8.5% | 6.2% | 6.1% | 9.3% | 5.4% | 4.3% | 7.6% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% | 5.7% | 6.0% |
| 2008 | 22.4% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 7.4% | 7.8% | 6.3% | 6.7% | 8.3% | 5.7% | 4.6% | 7.6% | 5.8% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 5.1% | 6.2% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 17.9% | 14.0% | 9.1% | 8.6% | 8.5% | 7.7% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 4.7% | 7.6% | 9.3% | 5.6% | 7.9% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 8.3% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | 19.9% | 11.9% | 9.3% | 7.7% | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.0% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 9.6% | 5.2% | 7.0% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 7.4% |
| 2011 | 24.6% | 21.4% | 9.8% | 9.2% | 7.2% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 7.6% | 8.2% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 8.9% | 5.1% | 6.0% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 6.6% |
| 2012 | 24.7% | 24.8% | 9.2% | 9.8% | 7.2% | 7.4% | 10.7% | 7.3% | 8.3% | 4.6% | 7.6% | 8.1% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 4.5% | 5.6% | 5.5% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | 26.1% | 9.7% | 9.9% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 12.1% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 4.6% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 5.7% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 5.5% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | 24.4% | 9.9% | 10.3% | 7.3% | 7.0% | 12.7% | 6.8% | 6.4% | 4.6% | 7.7% | 6.2% | 6.1% | 5.0% | 4.0% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| 2015 | 25.1% | 22.1% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 7.6% | 6.9% | 11.9% | 8.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2016 | 26.5% | 19.6% | 10.9% | 10.1% | 8.1% | 7.0% | 11.7% | 11.6% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 7.6% | 4.9% | 5.7% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2017 | 27.0% | 17.2% | 10.9% | 9.4% | 8.3% | 6.4% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 4.4% | 5.6% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| 2018 | 26.9% | 15.3% | 11.0% | 9.0% | 9.2% | 5.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 7.7% | 3.9% | 5.3% | 3.4% | 4.4% | 6.0% | 4.9% |
| 2019 | 28.5% | 14.1% | 13.7% | 8.4% | 9.8% | 5.7% | 9.9% | 11.9% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 6.5% | 3.7% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 5.6% | 4.5% |
| 2020 | 29.2% | 15.5% | 13.1% | 8.0% | 11.5% | 9.7% | 9.2% | 13.7% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 6.4% | 3.9% | 4.3% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2021 | 34.0% | 14.9% | 12.0% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 7.5% | 9.5% | 13.2% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 6.4% | 5.3% | 5.0% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 6.6% | 4.7% |
| 2022 | 33.3% | 13.0% | 10.5% | 7.3% | 6.8% | 5.3% | 8.1% | 9.2% | 3.8% | 5.0% | 4.8% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 5.6% | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 32.1% | 12.2% | 9.4% | 7.3% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 7.6% | 7.9% | 4.0% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| 2024 | 32.3% | 11.4% | 8.8% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 6.4% | 6.5% | 6.8% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 2.4% |
| 2025 | 32.4% | 10.4% | 8.5% | 7.5% | 7.1% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.1% |
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Frequently asked questions
Which large economy has the highest unemployment rate?
South Africa has the highest unemployment rate in the chart, at 32.4% of the labor force in 2025. Spain is second at 10.4% and Türkiye third at 8.5%. These are modeled ILO estimates.
How has Spain's unemployment rate changed since 1991?
Spain's rate fell from 15.9% in 1991 to 10.4% in 2025. It remains the second highest among the economies in this chart. Spain was second to South Africa in 1991, too.
What is the unemployment rate in China?
China's unemployment rate is 4.6% in 2025 in the World Bank's modeled ILO estimate. That is the lowest of the ten economies in the 2025 ranking, just below the United Kingdom at 4.7%.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, World Development Indicators (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), unemployment, % of total labor force (modeled ILO estimate). Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
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