Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao
Macao: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 2.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao, 1989–2020
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Macao recorded 2.5% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 46.9% on the previous year and down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao peaked at 6.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2014.
Macao ranks 157th of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 3.7% | — |
| 1990 | 3.2% | -14.5% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 2.3% | -24.9% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | +17.3% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | +43.8% |
| 1996 | 4.2% | +16.3% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -24.8% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | +43.8% |
| 2000 | 6.9% | +52.4% |
| 2001 | 6.5% | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 6.1% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | -20.3% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | -14.9% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | -9.3% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -19.6% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +18.7% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -22.2% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -7.1% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | -23.1% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +9.1% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -9.0% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 2.5% | +46.9% |
Macao compared with similar countries
- Macao's 2.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 52% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Macao's 2.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 73% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.1% | 4.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 3.0% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Macao
- 154 Papua New Guinea 2.7% compare
- 155 Isle of Man 2.7% compare
- 156 Seychelles 2.6% compare
- 157 Mexico 2.5% compare
- 159 Japan 2.5% compare
- 160 Tanzania 2.4% compare
More reference data data for Macao
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0073 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0039 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0032 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 2.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0544 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Manure Management 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure left on Pasture 4.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 3.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Agricultural Soils 8.57 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Macao was 2.5% in 2020, 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 Macao?
- The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Macao?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2014.
- How does Macao rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Macao ranks 157th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Macao?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Macao 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 — 31 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.