French Polynesia Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
French Polynesia's unemployment rate was 11.66% in 2025, ranked 156th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
French Polynesia's unemployment rate stood at 11.66% in 2025, a rise of +0.05pp from 2024. French Polynesia ranked 156th globally.
French Polynesia’s unemployment rate has hovered around the low‑eleven‑percent range for the 35‑year series, registering 11.66 % in 2025, which places the territory 156th in the global ranking. The indicator reached its all‑time high of 12.96 % in 2020, a spike that coincided with the worldwide economic shock of the COVID‑19 pandemic, before retreating to a trough of 11.58 % in 2000. The current level is marginally above the 1991 figure of 11.59 % and closely mirrors the rates of peer economies such as Algeria (11.63 %) and the US Virgin Islands (11.44 %). The modest rise since the early 2000s suggests limited labor‑market flexibility and a reliance on sectors vulnerable to external demand fluctuations. Continued diversification of the tourism and fisheries base, together with targeted skills development, could help lower the unemployment rate and shift the trajectory downward in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11.66% | +0.05pp | #156 |
| 2024 | 11.61% | +0.00pp | #161 |
| 2023 | 11.61% | −0.18pp | #159 |
| 2022 | 11.79% | −0.77pp | #157 |
| 2021 | 12.56% | −0.40pp | #155 |
| 2020 | 12.96% | +1.37pp | #152 |
| 2019 | 11.59% | −0.01pp | #157 |
| 2018 | 11.60% | +0.00pp | #153 |
| 2017 | 11.60% | −0.13pp | #152 |
| 2016 | 11.73% | −0.07pp | #150 |
| 2015 | 11.79% | −0.10pp | #150 |
| 2014 | 11.89% | −0.13pp | #151 |
| 2013 | 12.03% | −0.11pp | #148 |
| 2012 | 12.13% | −0.12pp | #147 |
| 2011 | 12.26% | +0.12pp | #149 |
Analysis
French Polynesia's unemployment rate was 11.66% in 2025, a rise of +0.05pp from 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
French Polynesia's unemployment rate was 11.66% in 2025. Ranked 156th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
French Polynesia's unemployment rate peaked at 12.96% in 2020.
The lowest unemployment rate in French Polynesia was 11.58% in 2000.
French Polynesia ranks 156th 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 French Polynesia in 2025 was 11.66%. This ranks 156th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_french-polynesia_unemployment-rate,
title = {French Polynesia Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/french-polynesia/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}