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France Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

7.54% +0.15pp (+2.0%)
Year 2025 Rank #129 Global Peak 12.59% (1994) Source World Bank

France Unemployment Rate (1980–2025)

Overview

France's unemployment rate stood at 7.54% in 2025, a rise of +0.15pp from 2024. The IMF projects 7.56% by 2025. France ranked 129th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 6.99% - -
2029* IMF 6.99% - -
2028* IMF 7.10% - -
2027* IMF 7.33% - -
2026* IMF 7.52% - -
2025* IMF 7.56% - -
2025 7.54% +0.15pp #129
2024 7.40% +0.06pp #133
2023 7.34% +0.04pp #132
2022 7.30% −0.56pp #130
2021 7.87% −0.15pp #125
2020 8.01% −0.42pp #121
2019 8.42% −0.61pp #136
2018 9.02% −0.39pp #138
2017 9.41% −0.66pp #139
2016 10.06% −0.29pp #140
2015 10.35% +0.09pp #142
2014 10.27% −0.03pp #137
2013 9.91% +0.15pp #133
2012 9.84% +0.63pp #130
2011 9.23% −0.05pp #129
Show all years (1980-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +13.5% GDP growth 2.0% C/A balance 0.6%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

France matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2019. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is France's unemployment rate?

France's unemployment rate was 7.54% in 2025. Ranked 129th globally. This represents a 2.0% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in France?

France's unemployment rate peaked at 12.59% in 1994.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in France?

The lowest unemployment rate in France was 6.35% in 1980.

How does France rank in unemployment rate?

France ranks 129th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of France in 2025?

France's unemployment rate is projected to reach 7.56% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of France in 2025?

The unemployment rate of France in 2025 was 7.54%. This ranks 129th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
France Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/france/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_france_unemployment-rate, title = {France Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/france/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }