Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran
Iran: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 7.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran, 1986–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 7.6% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and down 28.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran peaked at 14.2% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 7.6%, in 2024.
Iran ranks 56th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 14.2% | — |
| 1991 | 11.1% | -21.8% |
| 1996 | 9.1% | -18.0% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | +40.7% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | -19.5% |
| 2005 | 11.8% | +14.7% |
| 2006 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 12.1% | +14.0% |
| 2010 | 13.7% | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | -13.7% |
| 2014 | 10.7% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 11.2% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 12.6% | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 10.7% | -11.9% |
| 2020 | 9.7% | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 8.1% | -10.5% |
| 2024 | 7.6% | -6.1% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 7.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.8%, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Iran's 7.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.0%, 1.1× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.2% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 10.1% | 9.1% | 11.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.4% | 10.3% | 12.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 10.6% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 7.6% | 9.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More reference data data for Iran
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 35,629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 1,936 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 34.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 281.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Iran was 7.6% in 2024, 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 1986.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.6% in 2024.
- How does Iran rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Iran ranks 56th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran 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 — 25 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.