Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 3.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong, 1975–2025
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 Hong Kong stood at 3.7%.
The figure is up 22.2% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong peaked at 9.2% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1989.
Hong Kong ranks 130th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 9.2% | — |
| 1976 | 5.0% | -45.5% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | -14.0% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | -37.2% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | +26.1% |
| 1980 | 4.3% | +26.3% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | -27.3% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | +15.8% |
| 1983 | 4.4% | +22.3% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -13.8% |
| 1985 | 3.2% | -16.8% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | -11.1% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | -38.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -21.5% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -21.2% |
| 1990 | 1.3% | +23.2% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +36.7% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | +8.9% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | +69.5% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | -12.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -21.6% |
| 1998 | 4.6% | +106.3% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | +36.5% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | -21.3% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 7.3% | +43.0% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | -17.2% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -14.5% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 5.3% | +47.8% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | -17.7% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -21.0% |
| 2012 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | +99.1% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | -10.9% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | -31.7% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | +22.2% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 3.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 74% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 3.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.9% | 2.7% | 9.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.1% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 1.3% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 3.6% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 2.9% | 5.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 129 Germany 3.8% compare
- 131 Bangladesh 3.6% compare
- 132 Bulgaria 3.5% compare
- 133 Kyrgyzstan 3.5% compare
More reference data data for Hong Kong
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.004 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0219 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Agricultural Soils 7.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0028 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0219 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (1990)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (1990)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Hong Kong was 3.7% 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 Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 1975.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1989.
- How does Hong Kong rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Hong Kong ranks 130th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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 — 51 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.