Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France
France: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 7.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France, 1970–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France stood at 7.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France peaked at 12.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1970.
That places France 54th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.4% | — |
| 1971 | 2.7% | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 2.8% | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +6.6% |
| 1975 | 4.1% | +42.6% |
| 1976 | 4.5% | +9.4% |
| 1977 | 5.0% | +12.2% |
| 1978 | 5.3% | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 6.0% | +14.3% |
| 1980 | 6.4% | +6.5% |
| 1981 | 7.5% | +17.4% |
| 1982 | 8.2% | +8.7% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 9.5% | +20.4% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | +7.6% |
| 1986 | 10.2% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 10.7% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 10.2% | -5.2% |
| 1989 | 9.6% | -5.5% |
| 1990 | 9.4% | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 9.1% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +11.7% |
| 1993 | 11.3% | +10.9% |
| 1994 | 12.6% | +11.2% |
| 1995 | 11.8% | -6.0% |
| 1996 | 12.4% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 12.6% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 12.1% | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 12.0% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 10.2% | -14.7% |
| 2001 | 8.6% | -15.7% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | +7.3% |
| 2005 | 8.9% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 8.8% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | -9.3% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -7.8% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +23.5% |
| 2010 | 9.3% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 9.2% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 9.9% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 10.4% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 10.1% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 9.4% | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 9.0% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 8.0% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 7.9% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | -7.2% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 7.4% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 7.7% | +3.6% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 7.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.6× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- France's 7.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.8% | 2.4% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.1% | 6.4% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.3% | 9.1% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.6% | 8.4% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 7.3% | 8.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in France was 7.7% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1970.
- How does France rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- France ranks 54th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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 — 56 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.