Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands

Netherlands: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 3.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
3.9%
Change on year
up 7.2%
World rank
126th
of 185 countries
All-time high
14.4%
in 1986
All-time low
2.1%
in 2001
Years of data
48
1975–2025

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands, 1975–2025

2.557.51012.515197520002025

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 Netherlands is 3.9%, measured in 2025.

The figure is up 7.2% on the previous year and down 43.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands peaked at 14.4% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2001.

That places Netherlands 126th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands, 1975 to 2025.
Year % Change
1975 6.0%
1977 5.9% -1.9%
1979 6.2% +4.7%
1980 6.5% +5.2%
1981 7.9% +22.3%
1982 12.0% +51.8%
1983 11.9% -1.5%
1985 10.5% -11.6%
1986 14.4% +37.4%
1987 9.9% -31.3%
1988 9.4% -5.3%
1989 8.7% -7.1%
1990 7.7% -11.9%
1991 7.3% -5.0%
1992 5.6% -23.7%
1993 6.3% +13.2%
1994 7.2% +13.9%
1995 7.2% -0.0%
1996 6.4% -10.3%
1997 5.5% -14.2%
1998 4.4% -20.3%
1999 3.6% -17.6%
2000 2.7% -24.8%
2001 2.1% -22.2%
2002 2.6% +20.5%
2003 3.6% +40.7%
2004 4.6% +29.3%
2005 5.9% +26.4%
2006 5.0% -14.7%
2007 4.2% -17.1%
2008 3.7% -11.9%
2009 4.4% +19.0%
2010 5.0% +14.7%
2011 5.0% -0.3%
2012 5.8% +17.0%
2013 7.2% +24.4%
2014 7.4% +2.5%
2015 6.9% -7.4%
2016 6.0% -12.6%
2017 4.8% -19.5%
2018 3.8% -20.8%
2019 3.4% -11.8%
2020 3.8% +13.1%
2021 4.2% +10.2%
2022 3.5% -16.2%
2023 3.5% +0.3%
2024 3.6% +2.9%
2025 3.9% +7.2%

Netherlands compared with similar countries

  • Netherlands's 3.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 79% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
  • Netherlands's 3.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 70% of the median. (52 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 6.0% 5.9% 6.2% 3
1980s 10.1% 6.5% 14.4% 9
1990s 6.1% 3.6% 7.7% 10
2000s 3.9% 2.1% 5.9% 10
2010s 5.5% 3.4% 7.4% 10
2020s 3.8% 3.5% 4.2% 6

Countries ranked near Netherlands

  1. 123 Trinidad and Tobago 4.0% compare
  2. 124 Ghana 4.0% compare
  3. 125 Ethiopia 3.9% compare
  4. 126 Malaysia 3.9% compare
  5. 126 Slovenia 3.9% compare
  6. 129 Germany 3.8% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Netherlands

All data for Netherlands →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands was 3.9% 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 Netherlands?
The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 1986.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Netherlands?
The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2001.
How does Netherlands rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Netherlands ranks 126th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Netherlands?
Over the last ten years it is down 43.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Netherlands 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.

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Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Netherlands. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/ilo-national-vs-modeled-data/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.