Home Timor-Leste Employment Unemployment Rate

Timor-Leste Unemployment Rate

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

1.59% +0.07pp (+4.5%)
Year 2025 Rank #14 Global Peak 4.66% (2016) Source World Bank

Timor-Leste Unemployment Rate (1991–2025)

Overview

Timor-Leste's unemployment rate stood at 1.59% in 2025, a rise of +0.07pp from 2024. Timor-Leste ranked 14th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2025 1.59% +0.07pp #14
2024 1.52% −0.00pp #12
2023 1.53% −0.01pp #11
2022 1.54% −0.81pp #11
2021 2.34% −0.46pp #19
2020 2.81% −0.34pp #22
2019 3.15% −0.62pp #40
2018 3.77% −0.49pp #53
2017 4.25% −0.40pp #65
2016 4.66% +0.98pp #68
2015 3.68% +0.06pp #46
2014 3.62% +0.05pp #47
2013 3.57% +0.10pp #44
2012 3.47% +0.09pp #39
2011 3.39% +0.08pp #35
Show all years (1991-2025)

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 +42.4% GDP growth 5.4% C/A balance 54.8%
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

Timor-Leste matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. 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 Timor-Leste's unemployment rate?

Timor-Leste's unemployment rate was 1.59% in 2025. Ranked 14th globally. This represents a 4.5% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste's unemployment rate peaked at 4.66% in 2016.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Timor-Leste?

The lowest unemployment rate in Timor-Leste was 1.52% in 2024.

How does Timor-Leste rank in unemployment rate?

Timor-Leste ranks 14th 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 unemployment rate of Timor-Leste in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Timor-Leste in 2025 was 1.59%. This ranks 14th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Timor-Leste Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/timor-leste/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_timor-leste_unemployment-rate, title = {Timor-Leste Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/timor-leste/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }