Equatorial Guinea Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Equatorial Guinea's unemployment rate was 8.34% in 2025, ranked 134th globally. This represents a 0.5% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Equatorial Guinea's unemployment rate stood at 8.34% in 2025, a rise of +0.04pp from 2024. Equatorial Guinea ranked 134th globally.
Equatorial Guinea’s unemployment rate has risen modestly since the early 1990s, moving from a trough of 6.68 % in 1991 to a peak of 8.82 % in 2021 before slipping slightly to 8.34 % in 2025, placing the country 134th globally. The 35‑year series shows a gradual upward drift rather than sharp fluctuations, reflecting limited diversification of the labour market amid persistent reliance on oil revenues. By contrast, Estonia recorded a comparable rate of 8.31 % in the same year, while Panama’s unemployment stood at 8.36 %, underscoring that Equatorial Guinea’s labour dynamics align with other small, resource‑dependent economies rather than with higher‑income, diversified peers. The modest decline from the 2021 peak suggests that recent policy measures aimed at expanding non‑oil sectors may be taking effect, but sustaining a downward trajectory will likely depend on continued investment in vocational training and private‑sector development to absorb a growing working‑age population.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.34% | +0.04pp | #134 |
| 2024 | 8.29% | +0.07pp | #138 |
| 2023 | 8.22% | −0.12pp | #138 |
| 2022 | 8.33% | −0.49pp | #138 |
| 2021 | 8.82% | +0.20pp | #133 |
| 2020 | 8.63% | +0.71pp | #128 |
| 2019 | 7.92% | +0.10pp | #132 |
| 2018 | 7.82% | −0.03pp | #127 |
| 2017 | 7.84% | +0.04pp | #122 |
| 2016 | 7.80% | +0.02pp | #117 |
| 2015 | 7.78% | +0.11pp | #119 |
| 2014 | 7.67% | −0.01pp | #115 |
| 2013 | 7.68% | −0.09pp | #111 |
| 2012 | 7.76% | −0.08pp | #110 |
| 2011 | 7.84% | −0.01pp | #116 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Equatorial Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Equatorial Guinea's unemployment rate was 8.34% in 2025. Ranked 134th globally. This represents a 0.5% increase from the previous year.
Equatorial Guinea's unemployment rate peaked at 8.82% in 2021.
The lowest unemployment rate in Equatorial Guinea was 6.68% in 1991.
Equatorial Guinea ranks 134th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Equatorial Guinea in 2025 was 8.34%. This ranks 134th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_equatorial-guinea_unemployment-rate,
title = {Equatorial Guinea Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/equatorial-guinea/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}