Madagascar Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Madagascar's unemployment rate was 3.04% in 2025, ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Madagascar's unemployment rate stood at 3.04% in 2025, a decline of +0.01pp from 2024. Madagascar ranked 42nd globally.
Madagascar’s unemployment rate has fallen sharply over the past three and a half decades, declining from an early‑series high of 6.17 % in 1991 to a historic low of 0.60 % in 2012, before modestly rising to 3.04 % in 2025, a level that ties it with Saudi Arabia and sits just above Myanmar’s 3.05 % and below Nigeria’s 3.06 % in the World Bank rankings. The early 1990s peak of 6.32 % in 1993 reflected structural constraints and limited formal sector growth, while the 2012 trough coincided with a surge in agricultural employment and expanded informal activities that absorbed much of the labor force. The recent increase to 3.04 % suggests a partial re‑absorption of workers into the formal economy, likely driven by modest industrial diversification and tourism recovery after the COVID‑19 slowdown. Continued investment in skills development and private‑sector expansion will be crucial to sustain the downward trajectory and prevent a reversal of the gains achieved since the 2010s.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.04% | −0.01pp | #42 |
| 2024 | 3.05% | +0.01pp | #44 |
| 2023 | 3.04% | −0.14pp | #44 |
| 2022 | 3.19% | −0.31pp | #42 |
| 2021 | 3.50% | +0.21pp | #36 |
| 2020 | 3.29% | +0.81pp | #33 |
| 2019 | 2.48% | +0.18pp | #28 |
| 2018 | 2.30% | +0.18pp | #24 |
| 2017 | 2.12% | +0.17pp | #17 |
| 2016 | 1.95% | +0.16pp | #18 |
| 2015 | 1.79% | +0.40pp | #12 |
| 2014 | 1.39% | +0.39pp | #10 |
| 2013 | 1.00% | +0.40pp | #7 |
| 2012 | 0.60% | −1.92pp | #4 |
| 2011 | 2.52% | −1.76pp | #19 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Madagascar matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Madagascar's unemployment rate was 3.04% in 2025. Ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from the previous year.
Madagascar's unemployment rate peaked at 6.32% in 1993.
The lowest unemployment rate in Madagascar was 0.60% in 2012.
Madagascar ranks 42nd 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 Madagascar in 2025 was 3.04%. This ranks 42nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_madagascar_unemployment-rate,
title = {Madagascar Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/madagascar/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}