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Upper middle income Countries Ranked by Youth unemployment rate (2025)

Youth unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

South Africa ranks #1 with 59.9% of labour force aged 15-24. Libya is second with 50.1% of labour force aged 15-24, 19.7% behind. The top five are South Africa, Libya, Botswana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Jordan. The median across all 53 is 15.8% of labour force aged 15-24; Kazakhstan is last at 3.81% of labour force aged 15-24. South Africa's figure has risen 39% since 2001 (43.2% of labour force aged 15-24 to 59.9% of labour force aged 15-24 in 2025).

#1
South Africa · 59.9% of labour force aged 15-24
Median
15.8% of labour force aged 15-24
Coverage
53 Upper middle income countries
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: Youth unemployment rateBar chart of the top 10: 1. South Africa 59.9; 2. Libya 50.1; 3. Botswana 46; 4. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 41.9; 5. Jordan 38.9; 6. Gabon 36.3; 7. Iraq 32; 8. Georgia 30.3; 9. Algeria 29.4; 10. North Macedonia 28.8.South Africa59.9Libya50.1Botswana46St. Vincent and the Gre…41.9Jordan38.9Gabon36.3Iraq32Georgia30.3Algeria29.4North Macedonia28.8
Top 10: Youth unemployment rate (% of labour force aged 15-24). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. South Africa 59.9; 2. Libya 50.1; 3. Botswana 46; 4. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 41.9; 5. Jordan 38.9; 6. Gabon 36.3; 7. Iraq 32; 8. Georgia 30.3; 9. Algeria 29.4; 10. North Macedonia 28.8.
Youth unemployment rate over time, top 5South Africa: 43.2 in 2001 to 59.9 in 2025; Libya: 46.7 in 2001 to 50.1 in 2025; Botswana: 39.2 in 2001 to 46 in 2025; St. Vincent and the Grenadines: 41.6 in 2001 to 41.9 in 2025; Jordan: 33.9 in 2001 to 38.9 in 2025.016.432.749.165.5200120132025South AfricaLibyaBotswanaSt. Vincent and the…Jordan
Youth unemployment rate over time, top 5 (% of labour force aged 15-24). South Africa: 43.2 in 2001 to 59.9 in 2025; Libya: 46.7 in 2001 to 50.1 in 2025; Botswana: 39.2 in 2001 to 46 in 2025; St. Vincent and the Grenadines: 41.6 in 2001 to 41.9 in 2025; Jordan: 33.9 in 2001 to 38.9 in 2025.

Full ranking

Upper middle income Countries Ranked by Youth unemployment rate, 2025
RankCountryYouth unemployment rate (% of labour force aged 15-24)Year
1South Africa59.92025
2Libya50.12025
3Botswana462025
4St. Vincent and the Grenadines41.92025
5Jordan38.92025
6Gabon36.32025
7Iraq322025
8Georgia30.32025
9Algeria29.42025
10North Macedonia28.82025
11Cabo Verde28.42025
12Bosnia and Herzegovina28.22025
13Armenia26.22025
14Albania25.62025
15Suriname25.42025
16Montenegro24.42025
17Iran, Islamic Rep.21.92025
18Serbia20.92025
19St. Lucia20.32025
20Belize19.32025
21Argentina19.22025
22Ukraine19.12021
23Sri Lanka18.62025
24Colombia17.72025
25Mauritius17.42025
26Türkiye162025
27China15.82025
28Equatorial Guinea15.72025
29Maldives15.72025
30Fiji15.22025
31Brazil142025
32Azerbaijan13.12025
33Indonesia132025
34Samoa132025
35Dominican Republic12.32025
36Malaysia122025
37Mongolia11.72025
38Paraguay11.72025
39Jamaica10.82025
40Turkmenistan102025
41Peru9.452025
42Belarus9.182025
43Ecuador8.162025
44El Salvador7.812025
45Philippines7.042025
46Viet Nam6.172025
47Tonga6.032025
48Mexico5.712025
49Guatemala4.762025
50Thailand4.532025
51Cuba4.282025
52Moldova4.22025
53Kazakhstan3.812025

About the top 10

#1 South Africa

South Africa ranks #1 on this list with 59.9% of labour force aged 15-24.

Capital
Pretoria, Cape Town
Continent
Africa
Income group
Upper middle income
Population
64.75 million people (2025)
GDP
US$427.18 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$6,598 (2025)
Life expectancy
66.3 years (2024)
Urban population
63.8% of population (2025)

Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.

Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.

Full country profile

#4 St. Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #4 on this list with 41.9% of labour force aged 15-24.

Capital
Kingstown
Continent
North America
Income group
Upper middle income
Population
99,924 people (2025)
GDP
US$1.26 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$12,562 (2025)
Life expectancy
71.4 years (2024)
Urban population
48% of population (2025)

Also ranks #3 in homicide rate · #5 in cereal yield · #6 in youth unemployment rate.

Full country profile

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Youth unemployment rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.

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. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.