Zimbabwe Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate was 9.29% in 2025, ranked 144th globally. This represents a 1.5% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate stood at 9.29% in 2025, a decline of +0.14pp from 2024. Zimbabwe ranked 144th globally.
Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate has risen modestly from an early‑record 4.79 % in 1991 to 9.29 % in 2025, placing the country 144th globally. The indicator reached its all‑time high of 10.09 % in 2022, following a prolonged expansion of the informal sector after the 2004 trough of 4.39 %. While the rate remains slightly above the Bahamas (9.21 %) and St. Lucia (9.45 %), it mirrors the upper range of small open economies that have struggled to translate growth into formal job creation. Structural constraints, including limited access to finance, recurring power shortages and a volatile macro‑environment, have impeded the absorption of labor into productive activities. Recent policy reforms aimed at improving the investment climate and expanding vocational training could curb the upward pressure on joblessness, suggesting a potential gradual decline in the unemployment rate if implementation is sustained.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9.29% | −0.14pp | #144 |
| 2024 | 9.44% | +0.09pp | #148 |
| 2023 | 9.35% | −0.74pp | #147 |
| 2022 | 10.09% | +0.55pp | #147 |
| 2021 | 9.54% | +0.92pp | #138 |
| 2020 | 8.62% | +1.24pp | #127 |
| 2019 | 7.37% | +0.59pp | #126 |
| 2018 | 6.79% | +0.44pp | #117 |
| 2017 | 6.35% | +0.45pp | #106 |
| 2016 | 5.90% | +0.50pp | #95 |
| 2015 | 5.40% | +0.63pp | #82 |
| 2014 | 4.77% | −0.17pp | #66 |
| 2013 | 4.95% | −0.11pp | #71 |
| 2012 | 5.06% | −0.31pp | #76 |
| 2011 | 5.37% | −0.10pp | #79 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zimbabwe matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2024. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate was 9.29% in 2025. Ranked 144th globally. This represents a 1.5% decrease from the previous year.
Zimbabwe's unemployment rate peaked at 10.09% in 2022.
The lowest unemployment rate in Zimbabwe was 4.39% in 2004.
Zimbabwe ranks 144th 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 Zimbabwe in 2025 was 9.29%. This ranks 144th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zimbabwe_unemployment-rate,
title = {Zimbabwe Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zimbabwe/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}