Unemployment rate can be defined by either the national definition, the ILO harmonized definition, or the OECD harmonized definition. The OECD harmonized unemployment rate gives the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labor force (the total number of people employed plus unemployed). [OECD Main Economic Indicators, OECD, monthly] As defined by the International Labour Organization, "unemployed workers" are those who are currently not working but are willing and able to work for pay, currently available to work, and have actively searched for work. [ILO, http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/res/index.htm]
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 18.8 | 23.0 | 24.7 | 24.9 | 24.8 | 24.9 | 24.7 | 25.1 | 25.4 | 26.7 | 27.5 |
| Venezuela | 14.0 | 12.2 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 20.6 | 27.1 | |
| FYR Macedonia | 31.7 | 37.3 | 32.1 | 31.4 | 31.0 | 29.0 | 28.0 | 26.1 | 23.8 | 22.4 | |
| Greece | 7.0 | 11.4 | 10.0 | 12.7 | 17.9 | 24.4 | 27.5 | 26.5 | 24.9 | 23.6 | 21.5 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 31.1 | 31.1 | 27.2 | 27.6 | 28.0 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 27.7 | 25.4 | 20.5 | |
| Sudan | 16.6 | 15.2 | 17.0 | 13.7 | 12.0 | 14.8 | 15.2 | 19.8 | 21.6 | 20.6 | 19.6 |
| Armenia | 31.2 | 19.0 | 18.4 | 17.3 | 16.2 | 17.6 | 18.5 | 18.8 | 18.9 | ||
| Jordan | 16.8 | 13.7 | 14.8 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 12.2 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 15.3 | 18.3 |
| Spain | 16.2 | 13.9 | 9.2 | 19.9 | 21.4 | 24.8 | 26.1 | 24.4 | 22.1 | 19.6 | 17.2 |
| Nigeria | 5.1 | 6.0 | 10.6 | 10.0 | 7.8 | 9.0 | 13.4 | 16.5 | |||
| Tunisia | 16.2 | 15.7 | 12.8 | 13.0 | 18.9 | 16.7 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 15.5 |
| Serbia | 12.1 | 21.8 | 20.0 | 23.6 | 24.6 | 23.0 | 19.9 | 18.2 | 15.9 | 14.1 | |
| Albania | 8.5 | 16.8 | 14.1 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 13.4 | 16.0 | 17.5 | 17.1 | 15.2 | 13.8 |
| Brazil | 13.9 | 11.4 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 11.3 | 12.8 | |
| Croatia | 20.6 | 17.6 | 17.2 | 17.4 | 18.6 | 19.8 | 19.3 | 17.1 | 15.0 | 12.4 | |
| Egypt | 8.0 | 9.0 | 11.5 | 9.2 | 10.4 | 12.4 | 13.0 | 13.4 | 12.9 | 12.7 | 12.2 |
| Jamaica | 15.7 | 15.5 | 11.2 | 12.4 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 15.3 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 12.8 | 12.2 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 15.9 | 14.4 | 17.3 | 13.7 | 13.5 | 13.9 | 13.7 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.6 | 12.2 |
| Islamic Republic of Iran | 14.2 | 16.0 | 11.5 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 12.1 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 11.0 | 12.4 | 11.8 |
| Algeria | 19.8 | 29.5 | 15.3 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 10.5 | 11.7 |
| Italy | 8.9 | 10.1 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 11.7 | 11.3 |
| Cyprus | 1.8 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 7.9 | 11.8 | 15.9 | 16.1 | 14.9 | 13.0 | 11.1 |
| Turkey | 8.0 | 6.0 | 9.5 | 11.1 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 10.9 | 10.9 |
| Puerto Rico | 14.2 | 10.1 | 11.3 | 16.4 | 15.9 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.9 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 10.8 |
| Morocco | 13.4 | 11.1 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 10.2 | |
| The Bahamas | 12.0 | 7.0 | 10.2 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 15.8 | 14.6 | 13.4 | 12.2 | 10.1 |
| Barbados | 14.9 | 9.8 | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.2 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 9.9 | 10.1 |
| France | 8.4 | 9.2 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.1 | 9.4 |
| Colombia | 6.6 | 13.3 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.3 |
| Ukraine | 11.5 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.2 | |
| Cabo Verde | 25.4 | 20.0 | 21.4 | 10.7 | 12.2 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 12.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Belize | 15.0 | 11.4 | 11.0 | 13.5 | 14.0 | 14.4 | 11.7 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| Suriname | 13.8 | 11.1 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 9.7 | 8.9 | |
| Portugal | 4.2 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 10.8 | 12.7 | 15.5 | 16.2 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 8.9 |
| Latvia | 14.3 | 10.1 | 19.5 | 16.2 | 15.0 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 9.6 | 8.7 | |
| Finland | 3.2 | 9.9 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 8.5 |
| Argentina | 7.6 | 17.1 | 11.6 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 8.5 | 8.4 | |
| Slovak Republic | 18.9 | 16.4 | 14.5 | 13.7 | 14.0 | 14.2 | 13.2 | 11.5 | 9.7 | 8.1 | |
| Costa Rica | 4.6 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 9.2 | 10.5 | 9.8 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 8.1 |
| San Marino | 3.6 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 6.9 | 8.1 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 8.6 | 8.1 | ||
| Mongolia | 9.9 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 8.0 | |||
| Uruguay | 8.5 | 13.4 | 12.1 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 7.6 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.1 | |
| Belgium | 6.6 | 6.9 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 7.1 |
| Mauritius | 2.8 | 6.5 | 9.6 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 7.1 |
| Lithuania | 16.4 | 8.3 | 17.8 | 15.4 | 13.4 | 11.8 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 7.1 | |
| El Salvador | 10.0 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 7.0 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 9.3 | 8.5 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | ||||
| Peru | 8.3 | 7.8 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 6.9 |
| Ireland | 17.2 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 14.6 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 13.8 | 11.9 | 9.9 | 8.4 | 6.7 |
| Sweden | 2.2 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 6.7 |
| Chile | 7.8 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 8.2 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.7 |
| Slovenia | 6.7 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 10.1 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 6.6 | |
| Nicaragua | 15.5 | 9.8 | 5.6 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| Canada | 8.2 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.3 |
| Bulgaria | 2.9 | 18.1 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 13.0 | 11.5 | 9.2 | 7.7 | 6.2 |
| Pakistan | 3.1 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Panama | 16.7 | 13.5 | 9.8 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 6.0 |
| Saudi Arabia | 4.6 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 6.0 | |
| Luxembourg | 1.3 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.8 |
| Estonia | 14.6 | 8.0 | 16.7 | 12.3 | 10.0 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 5.8 | |
| Denmark | 7.2 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 5.7 |
| Philippines | 8.4 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 7.3 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 5.7 |
| Paraguay | 6.6 | 7.3 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.7 |
| Honduras | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 5.5 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
| Australia | 6.9 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
| Austria | 2.7 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| Indonesia | 2.4 | 6.1 | 11.2 | 7.1 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 5.4 |
| Russia | 10.6 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.2 | |
| Dominican Republic | 6.3 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.1 | |
| Azerbaijan | 11.8 | 7.3 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
| Kazakhstan | 12.8 | 8.1 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
| Romania | 3.4 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 20.0 | 12.2 | 8.0 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| Poland | 6.3 | 16.1 | 17.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 6.2 | 4.9 |
| Netherlands | 5.1 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 4.9 |
| New Zealand | 8.0 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 4.7 |
| Ecuador | 6.1 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 4.6 |
| Malta | 4.8 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.6 |
| Fiji | 8.2 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| United Kingdom | 7.1 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.6 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 4.4 |
| Sri Lanka | 15.9 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| United States | 5.6 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.4 |
| Israel | 9.6 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Norway | 5.2 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Hungary | 2.1 | 6.4 | 7.2 | 11.3 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 10.2 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Moldova | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | |
| Bolivia | 7.5 | 8.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | |
| Myanmar | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | |
| China | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Taiwan Province of China | 1.7 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Germany | 6.2 | 8.0 | 11.0 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Korea | 2.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Bahrain | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.6 | |||
| Malaysia | 5.1 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Mexico | 2.7 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 |
| Bhutan | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | ||
| Switzerland | 0.5 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Hong Kong SAR | 1.3 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
| Seychelles | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.0 | |
| Czech Republic | 8.8 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 2.9 | |
| Japan | 2.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| Iceland | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Vietnam | 12.3 | 6.4 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Singapore | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.2 |
| Macao SAR | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | ||
| Kuwait | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Belarus | 2.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.8 | |
| Thailand | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | ||
| Georgia | 10.3 | 13.8 | 16.3 | 15.1 | 15.0 | 14.6 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 11.8 | ||
| Syria | 13.5 | 8.1 | 8.6 | ||||||||
| Tajikistan | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.5 |