Somalia, Fed. Rep. Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s unemployment rate was 18.95% in 2025, ranked 174th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s unemployment rate stood at 18.95% in 2025, a decline of +0.00pp from 2024. Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranked 174th globally.
Somalia's unemployment rate has fluctuated significantly over the past 35 years, reflecting the country's tumultuous economic history. Since peaking at 19.97% in 1994, during a period of civil war and state collapse, unemployment rates have declined, albeit with some volatility. The all-time trough of 18.45% was reached in 2017, a year marked by moderate economic growth and some stabilization of the security environment. However, since then, unemployment rates have begun to rise again, reaching 18.95% in 2025. This is slightly higher than Libya's rate of 18.76%, a peer country with a similarly challenging economic environment. The relatively high unemployment rate in Somalia remains a concern, particularly given the country's significant youth population and limited job opportunities. A sustained improvement in security, investment in human capital, and expansion of the formal economy are necessary to alter the trajectory of Somalia's unemployment rate and reduce the burden on its young and growing workforce.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18.95% | −0.00pp | #174 |
| 2024 | 18.95% | −0.01pp | #179 |
| 2023 | 18.96% | −0.15pp | #181 |
| 2022 | 19.11% | −0.55pp | #180 |
| 2021 | 19.66% | +0.25pp | #179 |
| 2020 | 19.41% | +0.59pp | #180 |
| 2019 | 18.83% | +0.13pp | #181 |
| 2018 | 18.70% | +0.25pp | #177 |
| 2017 | 18.46% | −0.16pp | #176 |
| 2016 | 18.61% | +0.12pp | #176 |
| 2015 | 18.50% | −0.10pp | #176 |
| 2014 | 18.60% | −0.06pp | #177 |
| 2013 | 18.66% | −0.12pp | #174 |
| 2012 | 18.77% | +0.01pp | #175 |
| 2011 | 18.76% | +0.02pp | #175 |
Analysis
Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s unemployment rate was 18.95% in 2025, a decline of −0.00pp from 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s unemployment rate was 18.95% in 2025. Ranked 174th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from the previous year.
Somalia, Fed. Rep.'s unemployment rate peaked at 19.97% in 1994.
The lowest unemployment rate in Somalia, Fed. Rep. was 18.46% in 2017.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks 174th 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 Somalia, Fed. Rep. in 2025 was 18.95%. This ranks 174th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_somalia-fed-rep_unemployment-rate,
title = {Somalia, Fed. Rep. Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/somalia-fed-rep/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}