Low income Countries Ranked by Unemployment rate (2025)
Unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #1 with 18.9% of labour force. Yemen, Rep. is second with 17.3% of labour force, 9.4% behind. The top five are Somalia, Fed. Rep., Yemen, Rep., Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan and South Sudan. The median across all 25 is 4.43% of labour force; Niger is last at 0.394% of labour force. Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s figure has risen 2% since 2001 (18.7% of labour force to 18.9% of labour force in 2025).
- #1
- Somalia, Fed. Rep. · 18.9% of labour force
- Median
- 4.43% of labour force
- Coverage
- 25 Low income countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Unemployment rate (% of labour force) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 18.9 | 2025 |
| 2 | Yemen, Rep. | 17.3 | 2025 |
| 3 | Syrian Arab Republic | 13.6 | 2025 |
| 4 | Afghanistan | 13.4 | 2025 |
| 5 | South Sudan | 12.4 | 2023 |
| 6 | Rwanda | 11.4 | 2025 |
| 7 | Sudan | 7.53 | 2022 |
| 8 | Mozambique | 6.63 | 2025 |
| 9 | Gambia, The | 6.52 | 2025 |
| 10 | Central African Republic | 6.25 | 2025 |
| 11 | Eritrea | 5.98 | 2025 |
| 12 | Malawi | 5.07 | 2025 |
| 13 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 4.43 | 2025 |
| 14 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 3.55 | 2025 |
| 15 | Burkina Faso | 3.48 | 2025 |
| 16 | Ethiopia | 3.32 | 2025 |
| 17 | Sierra Leone | 3.15 | 2025 |
| 18 | Madagascar | 3.04 | 2025 |
| 19 | Liberia | 2.88 | 2025 |
| 20 | Mali | 2.83 | 2025 |
| 21 | Uganda | 2.75 | 2025 |
| 22 | Guinea-Bissau | 2.67 | 2025 |
| 23 | Chad | 1.06 | 2025 |
| 24 | Burundi | 0.922 | 2025 |
| 25 | Niger | 0.394 | 2025 |
About the top 10
#1 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #1 on this list with 18.9% of labour force.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#2 Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep. ranks #2 on this list with 17.3% of labour force.
- Capital
- Sanaa, Aden
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 41.77 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 398,000 arrivals (2015)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.
#3 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #3 on this list with 13.6% of labour force.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#4 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #4 on this list with 13.4% of labour force.
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added share of gdp.
#5 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #5 on this list with 12.4% of labour force (2023).
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#6 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #6 on this list with 11.4% of labour force.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#7 Sudan
Sudan ranks #7 on this list with 7.53% of labour force (2022).
- Capital
- Khartoum
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$60.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,165 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Khartoum, Omdurman.
Also ranks #2 in inflation rate · #4 in children out of school (primary) · #5 in refugee population by origin.
#8 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #8 on this list with 6.63% of labour force.
- 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 Gambia, The
Gambia, The ranks #9 on this list with 6.52% of labour force.
- Capital
- Banjul
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 2.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.59 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$919.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #3 in arable land share · #7 in gross capital formation rate.
#10 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #10 on this list with 6.25% of labour force.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (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. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.