* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Youth unemployment, ages 15-24, 2023:

The average for 2023 based on 52 countries was 18 percent. The highest value was in Djibouti: 76.47 percent and the lowest value was in Niger: 0.84 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: The World Bank
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Youth unemployment, 2023 Global rank Available data
Djibouti 76.47 1 1991 - 2023
Swaziland 64.99 2 1991 - 2023
Libya 49.44 3 1991 - 2023
South Africa 49.14 4 1991 - 2023
Botswana 45.41 5 1991 - 2023
R. of Congo 41.2 6 1991 - 2023
Namibia 38.03 7 1991 - 2023
Tunisia 37.48 8 1991 - 2023
Gabon 36.53 9 1991 - 2023
Somalia 34.28 10 1991 - 2023
Algeria 30.78 11 1991 - 2023
Cape Verde 28.65 12 1991 - 2023
Angola 28.24 13 1991 - 2023
Lesotho 24.84 14 1991 - 2023
Mauritania 23.73 15 1991 - 2023
Morocco 22.61 16 1991 - 2023
Rwanda 21.97 17 1991 - 2023
S.T.&Principe 21.08 18 1991 - 2023
Mauritius 20.87 19 1991 - 2023
Egypt 18.99 20 1991 - 2023
Sudan 18.15 21 1991 - 2023
Eq. Guinea 16.35 22 1991 - 2023
Zimbabwe 14.28 23 1991 - 2023
Kenya 12.23 24 1991 - 2023
Comoros 10.89 25 1991 - 2023
C.A. Republic 10.7 26 1991 - 2023
Gambia 10.64 27 1991 - 2023
Eritrea 10.01 28 1991 - 2023
Zambia 9.76 29 1991 - 2023
DR Congo 8.6 30 1991 - 2023
Burkina Faso 7.96 31 1991 - 2023
Mozambique 7.58 32 1991 - 2023
Guinea 7.27 33 1991 - 2023
Malawi 6.76 34 1991 - 2023
Cameroon 6.44 35 1991 - 2023
Nigeria 5.84 36 1991 - 2023
Ethiopia 5.58 37 1991 - 2023
Madagascar 5.51 38 1991 - 2023
Ghana 5.5 39 1991 - 2023
Uganda 4.5 40 1991 - 2023
Senegal 4.12 41 1991 - 2023
Mali 4.11 42 1991 - 2023
G.-Bissau 4.04 43 1991 - 2023
Ivory Coast 3.98 44 1991 - 2023
Benin 3.89 45 1991 - 2023
Sierra Leone 3.57 46 1991 - 2023
Tanzania 3.49 47 1991 - 2023
Togo 3.27 48 1991 - 2023
Liberia 2.26 49 1991 - 2023
Burundi 1.72 50 1991 - 2023
Chad 1.49 51 1991 - 2023
Niger 0.84 52 1991 - 2023



Definition: Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.
What explains the differences in youth unemployment across countries

Youth unemployment is typically high in countries with overall high unemployment where the economy is struggling to create jobs. These are the countries at the top the chart. Further below, at around 20-30 percent unemployment one sees several advanced European countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. These countries do not have very dynamic labor markets with a big churn of new positions. Also, older workers are more entrenched in their positions and the firing and hiring of labor is more complicated by regulations and customs.

Notice also that countries with significant demographic issues such as South Korea and Japan have very low youth unemployment. There just aren't many young people, relatively speaking. In some countries at the bottom of the chart such as Chad, Liberia, and Niger there are many young people but they may be out of the labor force. Recall that to be considered unemployed one has to be without a job but actively looking for one.


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76.47
64.99
49.44
49.14
45.41
41.20
38.03
37.48
36.53
34.28
30.78
28.65
28.24
24.84
23.73
22.61
21.97
21.08
20.87
18.99
18.15
16.35
14.28
12.23
10.89
10.70
10.64
10.01
9.76
8.60
7.96
7.58
7.27
6.76
6.44
5.84
5.58
5.51
5.50
4.50
4.12
4.11
4.04
3.98
3.89
3.57
3.49
3.27
2.26
1.72
1.49
0.84
0
19.1
38.2
57.4
76.47


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