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Table 5f. Adult unemployment
Last update: June 2011
       
       
Country or area
Year
Men
Women
Source
Afghanistan 2005
7.6
  
9.5
  
HS
  
Albania 2001
18.8
  
28.4
  
PC
  
Algeria 2007   a
12.9
  
18.4
  
HS
  
American Samoa 2000   b
4.9
  
6.0
  
PC
  
Anguilla 2002   a,c
6.3
  
9.5
  
HS
  
Antigua and Barbuda 2001
8.0
  
8.8
  
PC
  
Argentina 2006   d,e
7.8
  
11.6
  
HS
  
Armenia 2001
31.9
  
40.2
  
PC
  
Aruba 1997
6.8
  
8.4
  
HS
  
Australia 2008   a,c
4.0
  
4.6
  
HS
  
Austria 2008
3.6
  
4.1
  
ELFS
  
Azerbaijan 2007   a,c,f
7.8
  
5.3
  
HS
  
Bahamas 2007   c
6.7
  
9.1
  
HS
  
Bahrain 2001
4.1
  
10.5
  
PC
  
Bangladesh 2005   c
3.4
  
7.0
  
HS
  
Barbados 2004   c
8.9
  
10.5
  
HS
  
Belgium 2008
6.5
  
7.6
  
ELFS
  
Belize 2005   g
7.5
  
17.2
  
HS
  
Benin 2002
0.9
  
0.4
  
PC
  
Bermuda 2000
3.1
  
2.3
  
PC
  
Bhutan 2005
3.0
  
3.3
  
PC
  
Bolivia 2002   c,h
4.2
  
6.8
  
HS
  
Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007
26.7
  
33.0
  
HS
  
Botswana 2006   c,i
15.3
  
19.9
  
HS
  
Brazil 2008   a,d,j
6.1
  
10.0
  
HS
  
British Virgin Islands 1991
3.8
  
3.4
  
PC
  
Brunei Darussalam 1991
3.7
  
6.7
  
PC
  
Bulgaria 2008   a,k
5.5
  
5.8
  
HS
  
Burkina Faso 1998   c,d
2.3
  
2.6
  
HS
  
Burundi 1990
0.7
  
0.3
  
PC
  
Cambodia 2004   d
7.6
  
6.7
  
HS
  
Cameroon 2001
8.2
  
6.7
  
HS
  
Canada 2008   a,c
6.6
  
5.7
  
HS
  
Cape Verde 1990
23.3
  
22.6
  
PC
  
Cayman Islands 2007   c
3.5
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Chad 1993   l
1.1
  
0.3
  
PC
  
Chile 2008   a
6.8
  
9.5
  
HS
  
China, Macao SAR 2008   a,c,g
3.3
  
2.6
  
HS
  
Colombia 2008   a,c,i
8.9
  
14.5
  
HS
  
Comoros 1991   i
21.3
  
16.9
  
PC
  
Cook Islands 2001
11.7
  
14.8
  
PC
  
Costa Rica 2007   i
3.3
  
6.8
  
HS
  
Croatia 2008
7.0
  
10.0
  
ELFS
  
Cuba 2007   a,m
1.7
  
1.9
  
HS
  
Cyprus 2008   a
3.2
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Czech Republic 2008
3.5
  
5.6
  
ELFS
  
Denmark 2008
3.0
  
3.7
  
ELFS
  
Djibouti 1991
41.9
  
46.7
  
HS
  
Dominica 2001
12.0
  
9.5
  
PC
  
Dominican Republic 2007   d
9.3
  
25.4
  
HS
  
Egypt 2008   a,c,l
5.9
  
19.3
  
OE
  
El Salvador 2006   d
8.5
  
3.9
  
HS
  
Equatorial Guinea 1983   n
27.4
  
18.5
  
HS
  
Estonia 2008   a,k
5.8
  
5.2
  
PC
  
Ethiopia 2006   c,m
11.7
  
22.6
  
HS
  
Faeroe Islands 2005   b
2.6
  
3.9
  
HS
  
Fiji 2005   a,o
4.1
  
5.9
  
HS
  
Finland 2008
6.1
  
6.7
  
ELFS
  
France 2008
6.9
  
7.9
  
ELFS
  
French Polynesia 2002
10.6
  
13.4
  
PC
  
Gabon 1993
19.1
  
16.1
  
PC
  
Georgia 2007   c
13.9
  
12.6
  
HS
  
Germany 2008
7.4
  
7.5
  
ELFS
  
Ghana 2000
10.1
  
10.7
  
PC
  
Gibraltar 1991
7.7
  
4.0
  
PC
  
Greece 2008
5.1
  
11.4
  
ELFS
  
Greenland 2006
10.0
  
6.7
  
OE
  
Grenada 1998   p
10.6
  
21.8
  
HS
  
Guadeloupe 2007   a
19.2
  
26.1
  
HS
  
Guam 2000   c
11.5
  
11.5
  
PC
  
Guatemala 2006   c,d,q
1.5
  
2.4
  
HS
  
Guyana 2002
10.3
  
15.3
  
PC
  
Haiti 1999
6.2
  
8.3
  
HS
  
Honduras 2006   c,d,r
2.5
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Hungary 2008
7.6
  
8.1
  
ELFS
  
Iceland 2008   a,c,s
3.4
  
2.6
  
HS
  
India 2004   t,u
4.9
  
5.3
  
HS
  
Iran, Islamic Republic of 2007   d
9.3
  
15.7
  
HS
  
Iraq 2004
10.1
  
12.7
  
HS
  
Ireland 2008
7.0
  
4.6
  
ELFS
  
Isle of Man 2006
2.8
  
2.0
  
PC
  
Israel 2008   c,v
5.7
  
7.0
  
HS
  
Italy 2008
5.5
  
8.5
  
ELFS
  
Jamaica 2008   a,c,g
7.3
  
14.6
  
HS
  
Japan 2008   a
4.1
  
3.8
  
HS
  
Jordan 2008
10.1
  
24.3
  
HS
  
Kazakhstan 2004
7.0
  
9.8
  
HS
  
Kosovo 2007   l,w
38.5
  
55.2
  
HS
  
Kyrgyzstan 2006
7.7
  
9.0
  
HS
  
Lao People's Democratic Republic 2005
1.3
  
1.4
  
PC
  
Latvia 2008   a,k
8.0
  
6.9
  
HS
  
Lesotho 1999
21.5
  
33.1
  
HS
  
Liberia 2007   x
6.8
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Lithuania 2008
6.1
  
5.6
  
ELFS
  
Luxembourg 2008
4.3
  
6.1
  
ELFS
  
Madagascar 2005   c
1.7
  
3.5
  
HS
  
Malawi 2004   w
5.4
  
10.0
  
HS
  
Malaysia 2007   a,c,l
3.1
  
3.4
  
HS
  
Maldives 2006   p
7.9
  
23.8
  
PC
  
Mali 2004
7.2
  
10.9
  
HS
  
Malta 2008
5.6
  
6.8
  
ELFS
  
Marshall Islands 1999
27.6
  
37.3
  
PC
  
Martinique 2007   a
20.7
  
21.7
  
HS
  
Mauritania 2000   d
8.8
  
41.2
  
OE
  
Mauritius 2008   a,c,g
4.1
  
12.8
  
HS
  
Mexico 2008   a,g
3.9
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Monaco 2000   y,z
2.5
  
5.2
  
PC
  
Mongolia 2005   a1
3.0
  
3.6
  
OE
  
Montenegro 2005   a,l
26.2
  
35.5
  
HS
  
Morocco 2008   a
9.6
  
9.8
  
HS
  
Mozambique 1997   b1
3.4
  
1.3
  
PC
  
Myanmar 1990   d,w
4.7
  
8.8
  
HS
  
Namibia 2004   a
19.4
  
25.0
  
HS
  
Nepal 2001   d
7.4
  
10.7
  
PC
  
Netherlands 2008
2.5
  
3.0
  
ELFS
  
Netherlands Antilles 2007   c1
9.9
  
14.0
  
HS
  
New Caledonia 1996   g
16.3
  
22.2
  
PC
  
New Zealand 2008   a,c
4.0
  
4.2
  
HS
  
Nicaragua 2006   d
5.4
  
4.9
  
HS
  
Niger 2001
1.7
  
0.9
  
PC
  
Nigeria 1986   c
3.7
  
4.4
  
HS
  
Northern Mariana Islands 2003   b
5.0
  
4.3
  
HS
  
Norway 2008
2.7
  
2.4
  
ELFS
  
Occupied Palestinian Territory 2008
26.4
  
23.8
  
HS
  
Pakistan 2007   c
4.2
  
8.6
  
HS
  
Panama 2007
5.3
  
9.3
  
HS
  
Papua New Guinea 2000   a,d
4.3
  
1.3
  
PC
  
Paraguay 2007   c
4.2
  
7.6
  
HS
  
Peru 2007   g,p,d1
5.9
  
8.2
  
HS
  
Philippines 2008   a
7.6
  
7.1
  
HS
  
Poland 2008
6.4
  
8.0
  
ELFS
  
Portugal 2008
6.5
  
8.8
  
ELFS
  
Republic of Korea 2008   a,c
3.6
  
2.6
  
HS
  
Republic of Moldova 2008   a
4.6
  
3.4
  
HS
  
Réunion 2007   a
22.9
  
25.9
  
HS
  
Romania 2008   a
6.7
  
4.7
  
HS
  
Rwanda 1996   l
0.9
  
0.4
  
HS
  
Saint Helena 1998   e1
20.2
  
15.1
  
PC
  
Saint Lucia 2004
17.5
  
25.0
  
HS
  
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1991
18.4
  
22.1
  
PC
  
Samoa 2001
4.4
  
6.2
  
PC
  
San Marino 2007   a1
1.2
  
4.5
  
OE
  
Sao Tome and Principe 2006   a1
11.0
  
24.5
  
OE
  
Saudi Arabia 2007
4.2
  
13.2
  
HS
  
Senegal 2006   a
7.9
  
13.6
  
HS
  
Serbia 2007   f1
15.8
  
21.0
  
HS
  
Seychelles 2005   c
6.1
  
4.9
  
HS
  
Sierra Leone 2004
4.5
  
2.3
  
PC
  
Singapore 2008   a
3.0
  
3.5
  
HS
  
Slovakia 2008
8.4
  
10.9
  
ELFS
  
Slovenia 2008   a
4.0
  
4.9
  
HS
  
Solomon Islands 1999   z
31.0
  
33.7
  
PC
  
South Africa 2008   a,g1
20.0
  
26.3
  
HS
  
Spain 2008
10.1
  
13.0
  
ELFS
  
Sri Lanka 2008   a,c,d,h1
3.6
  
8.0
  
HS
  
Swaziland 1997
20.0
  
26.0
  
PC
  
Sweden 2008
5.9
  
6.6
  
ELFS
  
Switzerland 2008
2.8
  
4.0
  
ELFS
  
Syrian Arab Republic 2003   c,q
7.8
  
20.9
  
HS
  
TFYR of Macedonia 2008   a,c
33.5
  
34.2
  
HS
  
Thailand 2008   a,c,i1
1.5
  
1.3
  
HS
  
Tonga 2003   c
3.6
  
7.4
  
HS
  
Trinidad and Tobago 2007
4.4
  
9.6
  
HS
  
Tunisia 2005
13.1
  
17.3
  
HS
  
Turkey 2008   c
9.4
  
9.4
  
ELFS
  
Uganda 2003   a,d
2.5
  
3.9
  
HS
  
United Arab Emirates 2005   l
2.5
  
7.1
  
PC
  
United Kingdom 2008
6.1
  
5.1
  
ELFS
  
United Republic of Tanzania 2006   d
2.8
  
5.8
  
HS
  
United States 2008   a,b,c
6.0
  
5.4
  
HS
  
Uruguay 2008   g
5.4
  
10.1
  
HS
  
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2008   a,c
7.1
  
7.8
  
HS
  
Viet Nam 2004
1.9
  
2.4
  
HS
  
Yemen 1999
12.5
  
8.2
  
HS
  
Zambia 2000   i,j1
14.1
  
11.3
  
PC
  
Zimbabwe 2004
4.2
  
4.1
  
HS
  

 

 

Sources:

International Labour Office, Table 8a. Unemployment (LFS), published in Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM). Sixth Edition. Also available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/strat/kilm/ (accessed June 2011).

ELFS European Labour Force Survey (Eurostat)
HS Household or labor force survey.
MC Micro-census.
OE Official estimate.
PC Population census.

Footnotes:

a
 Labour force is calculated from the number of unemployed and the unemployment rate. As a result, male and female may not add to both sexes.
b
 Refers to age group 16+.
c
 Refers to civilian labour force.
d
 Refers to age group 10+.
e
 31 urban agglomerations.
f
 Refers to age group 15-61.
g
 Refers to age group 14+.
h
 Data are derived from micro-sources.
i
 Refers to age group 12+.
j
 6 metropolitan areas.
k
 Refers to age group 15-74.
l
 Refers to age group 15-64.
m
 Urban areas.
n
 Refers to age group 6+.
o
 Refers to age group 15-55.
p
 Excluding conscripts.
q
 Methodology revised; data not strictly comparable.
r
 Excluding the provinces of Gracias a Dios and Islas de la Bahía.
s
 Refers to age group 16-74.
t
 Excluding Leh and Kargil of Jammu and Kashmi districts, some villages in Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
u
 Data are based on the national sample survey conducted every five years.
v
 Including East Jerusalem and persons who did not work in the country during the previous 12 months. Labour force is calculated from the number of unemployed and the unemployment rate. As a result, male and female may not add to both sexes.
w
 Coverage not specified.
x
 Estimates based on 3,600 interviewed households.
y
 Refers to age group 17+.
z
 The size of the Census sample tabulation is not specified.
a1
 Age group not specified.
b1
 Refers to age group 7+.
c1
 Curaçao.
d1
 Metropolitan Lima.
e1
 Refers to age group 15-69.
f1
 Includes Montenegro.
g1
 Refers to age group 15-65.
h1
 Excluding the Northern and Eastern provinces.
i1
 Refers to age group 13+.
j1
 Data refer to the usually active population.

 

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Technical notes:

The adult unemployment rate refers to the proportion of the adult (aged 15 years and older) labour force that is unemployed, unless otherwise specified. The unemployed are persons who are currently without work, who are currently available for work, and who are seeking or have sought work recently. The base for these statistics is the labour force (that is, the economically active portion of the population), not the total population.

The International Conference of Labour Statisticians adopted the following definition of the unemployed as an international recommendation in 1982: All persons who during the reference period were: (1) "without work", that is, were not in paid employment or self-employment as specified by the international definition of employment; (2) "currently available for work", that is, were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; or (3) "seeking work", that is, had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment.

National definitions of unemployment may differ from the recommended international standard definition. The national definitions used vary from one country to another as regards inter alia age limits, reference periods, criteria for seeking work, treatment of persons temporarily laid off and of persons seeking work for the first time. Inter-country comparisons are further hampered by the variety of types of sources used to obtain information on unemployment and the differences in the scope and coverage of such sources.