Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China
China: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 4.6% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China, 1978–2022
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 China is 4.6%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.6% on the previous year and up 64.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China peaked at 5.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1985.
That places China 109th out of 185 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1.3% | — |
| 1979 | 1.4% | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -7.5% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | -21.1% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -16.7% |
| 1983 | 0.6% | -30.1% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -16.0% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +7.3% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | +25.3% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | +218.9% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | -58.1% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | +14.9% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +18.5% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | +45.3% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | +93.2% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | -60.3% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | +10.6% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -13.1% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | +42.0% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | -9.5% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | -9.8% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | +21.7% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | +12.8% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +34.2% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 3.8% | +16.2% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | +30.6% |
| 2019 | 5.2% | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -8.9% |
| 2022 | 4.6% | -10.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 4.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.8%, 78% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- China's 4.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +218.9% | 0.7% | 2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 2.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in China was 4.6% in 2022, 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1985.
- How does China rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- China ranks 109th out of 185 countries with data for 2022.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 45 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.