Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil
Brazil: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 5.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil, 1972–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil is 5.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 14.2% on the previous year and down 31.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil peaked at 13.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1976.
Brazil ranks 80th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 3.1% | — |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +106.1% |
| 1976 | 1.9% | -69.5% |
| 1977 | 2.3% | +20.5% |
| 1978 | 2.4% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | +16.9% |
| 1981 | 4.0% | +44.6% |
| 1982 | 3.9% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | +18.5% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | -12.6% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | -16.3% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -29.9% |
| 1987 | 3.6% | +49.9% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | +9.3% |
| 1990 | 4.7% | +13.5% |
| 1992 | 7.1% | +50.7% |
| 1993 | 6.0% | -14.9% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | +17.6% |
| 1996 | 8.0% | +13.3% |
| 1997 | 9.0% | +12.0% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | +12.7% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +9.6% |
| 2001 | 10.6% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 11.2% | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 10.1% | -9.8% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +13.9% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | -19.5% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 7.1% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 6.8% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | +26.4% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | +35.6% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | +10.5% |
| 2018 | 12.3% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 13.7% | +14.8% |
| 2021 | 13.2% | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 9.2% | -29.8% |
| 2023 | 7.9% | -13.9% |
| 2024 | 6.8% | -14.4% |
| 2025 | 5.8% | -14.2% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 5.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.8%, 1.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 5.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.3%, 92% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.1% | 1.9% | 6.3% | 6 |
| 1980s | 3.8% | 2.4% | 4.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 7.9% | 4.7% | 11.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 10.0% | 8.3% | 11.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 9.5% | 6.8% | 12.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 9.4% | 5.8% | 13.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More reference data data for Brazil
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 13.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 72.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 139.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 139.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 46.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 18.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 405.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 699.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 49.04 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Brazil was 5.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 13.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1976.
- How does Brazil rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Brazil ranks 80th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.