Countries With the Fastest Growth in Youth unemployment rate (5-Year Change)
Change in Youth unemployment rate over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Romania rose the most: by 6.96 pts, from 17.6% of labour force aged 15-24 to 24.5% of labour force aged 15-24 in the five years to 2025. Botswana is second (+5.57 pts), followed by Myanmar (+4.85 pts). 33 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +0.732 pts.
- #1
- Romania · +6.96 pts
- Median
- +0.732 pts
- Coverage
- 33 countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania | 17.6 | 24.5 | +6.96 pts |
| 2 | Botswana | 40.4 | 46 | +5.57 pts |
| 3 | Myanmar | 4.96 | 9.81 | +4.85 pts |
| 4 | China | 12.7 | 15.8 | +3.14 pts |
| 5 | Belgium | 15.3 | 17.8 | +2.45 pts |
| 6 | Norway | 11.2 | 13.4 | +2.21 pts |
| 7 | New Zealand | 12.4 | 14.4 | +1.91 pts |
| 8 | Mozambique | 9.71 | 11.6 | +1.9 pts |
| 9 | Vanuatu | 9.7 | 11.3 | +1.65 pts |
| 10 | Kenya | 13.6 | 15.2 | +1.63 pts |
| 11 | Hungary | 12.9 | 14.2 | +1.32 pts |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | 14.2 | 15.5 | +1.3 pts |
| 13 | Czechia | 7.94 | 9.22 | +1.28 pts |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 13.4 | 14.6 | +1.28 pts |
| 15 | Estonia | 18.4 | 19.7 | +1.28 pts |
| 16 | Solomon Islands | 1.49 | 2.76 | +1.27 pts |
| 17 | Afghanistan | 16.1 | 16.8 | +0.732 pts |
| 18 | Gambia, The | 10.1 | 10.9 | +0.723 pts |
| 19 | Austria | 10.3 | 11 | +0.673 pts |
| 20 | Rwanda | 15.9 | 16.4 | +0.461 pts |
| 21 | Switzerland | 8.6 | 9.04 | +0.438 pts |
| 22 | Sweden | 23.9 | 24.3 | +0.421 pts |
| 23 | Oman | 13.5 | 13.9 | +0.362 pts |
| 24 | South Africa | 59.6 | 59.9 | +0.323 pts |
| 25 | Finland | 21.2 | 21.5 | +0.286 pts |
| 26 | Cambodia | 0.474 | 0.711 | +0.237 pts |
| 27 | Moldova | 4.05 | 4.2 | +0.144 pts |
| 28 | Guinea-Bissau | 2.73 | 2.84 | +0.111 pts |
| 29 | Denmark | 11.6 | 11.7 | +0.103 pts |
| 30 | Qatar | 0.48 | 0.559 | +0.079 pts |
| 31 | Lebanon | 22.7 | 22.7 | +0.076 pts |
| 32 | Philippines | 6.99 | 7.04 | +0.054 pts |
| 33 | Kazakhstan | 3.78 | 3.81 | +0.031 pts |
About the top 10
#1 Romania
Romania ranks #1 on this list with +6.96 pts.
- Capital
- Bucharest
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.02 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$428.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$22,538 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 52.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bucharest.
Also ranks #1 in alcohol consumption per capita · #8 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #13 in death rate.
#2 Botswana
Botswana ranks #2 on this list with +5.57 pts.
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#3 Myanmar
Myanmar ranks #3 on this list with +4.85 pts.
- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 54.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$81.67 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyidaw.
Also ranks #3 in smoking prevalence · #6 in refugee population by origin · #8 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
#4 China
China ranks #4 on this list with +3.14 pts.
- Capital
- Beijing
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 1.41 billion people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.5 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$13,862 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing.
Also ranks #1 in urban population · #1 in gdp ppp · #1 in labour force size.
#5 Belgium
Belgium ranks #5 on this list with +2.45 pts.
- Capital
- Brussels
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 11.94 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$725.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,750 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in school enrolment (secondary) · #4 in access to clean cooking fuels · #6 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
#6 Norway
Norway ranks #6 on this list with +2.21 pts.
- Capital
- Oslo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$530.76 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$94,594 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim.
Also ranks #2 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in voice and accountability score · #3 in gni per capita.
#7 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #7 on this list with +1.91 pts.
- Capital
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$264.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$49,591 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Auckland.
Also ranks #3 in voice and accountability score · #4 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in control of corruption score.
#8 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #8 on this list with +1.9 pts.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#9 Vanuatu
Vanuatu ranks #9 on this list with +1.65 pts.
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 335,170 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,039 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in completion rate (primary) · #9 in rural population share.
#10 Kenya
Kenya ranks #10 on this list with +1.63 pts.
- Capital
- Nairobi
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 57.53 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$135.94 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,363 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nairobi, Mombasa.
Also ranks #8 in prevalence of undernourishment · #8 in deposit interest rate · #12 in poverty headcount ratio.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Youth unemployment rate over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.UEM.1524.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate): ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.