Liberia Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Liberia's unemployment rate was 2.88% in 2025, ranked 36th globally. This represents a 1.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Liberia's unemployment rate stood at 2.88% in 2025, a decline of +0.03pp from 2024. Liberia ranked 36th globally.
Liberia’s unemployment rate has remained low and relatively stable over the 35‑year series, moving from a modest 2.73 % in 1991 to a slight increase of 2.88 % in 2025, which places the country 36th lowest globally. The rate peaked at 4.10 % in 2020, a brief rise that coincided with the worldwide economic shock of the COVID‑19 pandemic, before retreating to a trough of 2.01 % in 1999 during a period of post‑civil‑war reconstruction. Compared with peers of similar rank, Liberia’s 2025 figure is close to Mali’s 2.83 % and Malta’s 2.90 %, suggesting that its labor market performance aligns with other low‑unemployment economies rather than reflecting the higher rates seen in many African states. The downward swing after the 2020 peak indicates resilience, yet future shifts in global demand, investment flows, or domestic policy reforms could alter the trajectory, making continued monitoring essential.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.88% | −0.03pp | #36 |
| 2024 | 2.91% | +0.01pp | #39 |
| 2023 | 2.91% | −0.05pp | #36 |
| 2022 | 2.96% | −0.89pp | #35 |
| 2021 | 3.84% | −0.26pp | #44 |
| 2020 | 4.10% | +1.03pp | #47 |
| 2019 | 3.07% | +0.01pp | #38 |
| 2018 | 3.06% | −0.01pp | #35 |
| 2017 | 3.07% | −0.01pp | #32 |
| 2016 | 3.08% | +0.52pp | #33 |
| 2015 | 2.56% | +0.48pp | #27 |
| 2014 | 2.08% | −0.00pp | #21 |
| 2013 | 2.08% | −0.07pp | #18 |
| 2012 | 2.15% | −0.07pp | #18 |
| 2011 | 2.21% | −0.06pp | #17 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Liberia matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Liberia's unemployment rate was 2.88% in 2025. Ranked 36th globally. This represents a 1.0% decrease from the previous year.
Liberia's unemployment rate peaked at 4.10% in 2020.
The lowest unemployment rate in Liberia was 2.01% in 1999.
Liberia ranks 36th 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 Liberia in 2025 was 2.88%. This ranks 36th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_liberia_unemployment-rate,
title = {Liberia Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/liberia/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}