Unemployment Rates: The Highest and Lowest Worldwide

The highest and lowest unemployment rates in the world vary dramatically, even among the world’s largest economies. And low unemployment does not necessarily mean a wealthy nation. Read on to discover the highest and lowest unemployment rates in the world, as well as how they compare to the largest economies.

Key Takeaways

• Unemployment typically measures individuals in the labor force, meaning those who are not working but are actively seeking work.
• The countries with the lowest unemployment rates are Qatar, Cambodia, and Niger.
• A low unemployment rate does not mean a nation’s citizens are well-off; the standard of living is determined by GDP per capita.
• The countries with the highest unemployment rates include Eswatini, South Africa, and Djibouti.

Unemployment Rates

Below are the countries with the highest and lowest unemployment rates, in addition to the unemployment rates of the world’s largest economies (ranked by GDP), according to the most recently available data from the World Bank.

Highest Unemployment Rates

The world’s five highest unemployment rates at the end of 2024 (latest information) were in Africa and occupied Palestine.

• Eswatini: 34.4%
• South Africa: 34.4%
• Djibouti: 25.9%
• West Bank and Gaza: 24.4%
• Botswana: 23.1%

Eswatini suffers from extreme poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, according to the CIA. HIV/AIDS tends to cause a substantial decline in productivity as households lose human capital to the disease. The GDP growth rate for 2024 was 3.65%, with GDP per capita at about $4,421.

South Africa had one of the highest unemployment rates in the world in 2023. It’s also the second-richest country in this grouping as measured by GDP per capita. The World Bank estimated its GDP per capita to be $6,332 at the end of 2024, with GDP growth of 0.58%.

Djibouti benefits from its location on the Red Sea, making it a bridge between Africa and the Middle East. Its economy is primarily driven by its port complex, which is one of the most advanced in the world. Its economy slowed in 2022 but rebounded significantly in 2023, with a GDP growth rate of 7.37% in 2023 and 6.51% in 2024.

The Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza face an unsustainable situation due to a war with Israel. GDP growth in 2024 was estimated at -82% in Gaza, and -19% in the West Bank. However, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimates that the growth rate will climb slightly (0.6%) through 2025 if the war continues, and increase significantly by 16.9% if the war ends.

Botswana is located in Southern Africa and benefits from diamond wealth, strong institutions, a small population, and smart economic management. It was one of the richest countries in this category as measured by GDP per capita, which was $7,117.10 in 2024.

Important

Part-time workers are counted as employed, and these figures don’t count people who give up looking for work for an extended period of time.

Lowest Unemployment Rates

Below are the ten countries with the lowest unemployment rates at the end of 2024:

• Qatar: 0.1%
• Cambodia: 0.3%
• Niger: 0.4%
• Thailand: 0.7%
• Burundi: 0.9%
• Chad: 1.1%
• Bahrain: 1.1%
• Lao PDR: 1.2%
• Vietnam: 1.4%
• Moldova: 1.4%

The above countries have stunning unemployment rates. All bested the U.S. by a considerable margin at the end of 2024.

Unemployment Rates for the World’s Largest Economies

The unemployment rates for the top 10 largest economies by GDP were predictably low at the end of 2023, with some outliers such as Brazil, France, and Italy.

• United States: 4.1%
• China: 4.6%
• Germany: 3.4%
• Japan: 2.6%
• India: 4.2%
• United Kingdom: 4.1%
• France: 7.4%
• Italy: 6.8%
• Brazil: 7.6%
• Canada: 6.5%

$30.51 Trillion

U.S. GDP as of May 2025.

Unemployment Rates and Economic Strength

Having a low unemployment rate does not necessarily mean a country’s economy is strong. For instance, in 2024, according to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Niger had only 0.4% unemployment and a GDP per capita of $751.04. In 2024, Burundi had 0.9% unemployment and a GDP per capita of $489.94.

These countries have low unemployment figures in large part because their economies rely heavily on agriculture, which is labor-intensive but seasonal. Remember that the underemployed are still counted in employment figures. Even Laos, with a relatively healthy GDP per capita of $2,100 in 2024, still had an unemployment rate of 1.2%, with many in its workforce transitioning to agriculture from services.

Unemployment Parallel With a Rich Economy

Of course, it’s possible to have both low unemployment and a rich economy. This combination is seen in Qatar. According to the World Bank’s latest information, the GDP per capita in Qatar was $71,650 in 2024 (with an unemployment rate of 0.1%).

That wealth helps its standing in the low unemployment listed above, as a country’s unemployment rate only factors in those actively looking for work. The working-age child of rich parents may feel less pressure to earn money and be more inclined to spend it.

Qatar’s economy is driven by oil and natural gas, hence its extreme wealth. However, it’s been making a sustained push to diversify into technology, marketing, construction, restaurants, and hotels.

What Is the Global Unemployment Rate?

According to the World Bank, the global unemployment rate was 5% in 2023, an improvement from 4.9% in 2024.

What Is Not Included in the U.S. Unemployment Rate?

The unemployment rate only takes into consideration the labor force. The labor force consists of those individuals who are currently working and those who are not working but who are looking for work. If an individual has not been looking for work in the previous four weeks, they are not considered part of the labor force and do not factor into the unemployment rate.

What Is the U.S. Unemployment Rate?

The unemployment rate in the U.S. as of Apr 2025 was 4.2%. This was the same as the previous month, but an increase from January and February.

The Bottom Line

The global unemployment rate is moderate, but the world still faces challenges that include inflation, ongoing global supply chain problems, and instability as policy shifts test the trade system. Globally, growth is expected to be underwhelming as tensions between trading partners are slowly unwound and local economies recover from tariff shocks and uncertainty.