Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 2.7% in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
2.7%
World rank
154th
of 185 countries
All-time high
7.7%
in 1990
All-time low
2.0%
in 2010
Years of data
5
1990–2022

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Papua New Guinea, 1990–2022

24681990200620221990: 7.7 %2000: 2.9 %2010: 2 %2011: 2.6 %2022: 2.7 %

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 Papua New Guinea is 2.7%, measured in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Papua New Guinea peaked at 7.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2010.

That places Papua New Guinea 154th out of 185 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 7.7% 7.7% 7.7% 1
2000s 2.9% 2.9% 2.9% 1
2010s 2.3% 2.0% 2.6% 2
2020s 2.7% 2.7% 2.7% 1

Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea

  1. 151 Kiribati 2.8% compare
  2. 152 Bolivia 2.7% compare
  3. 153 El Salvador 2.7% compare
  4. 155 Isle of Man 2.7% compare
  5. 156 Seychelles 2.6% compare
  6. 157 Macao 2.5% compare
  7. 157 Mexico 2.5% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Papua New Guinea

All data for Papua New Guinea →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Papua New Guinea?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Papua New Guinea was 2.7% in 2022, 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 Papua New Guinea?
The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 1990.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Papua New Guinea?
The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2010.
How does Papua New Guinea rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Papua New Guinea ranks 154th out of 185 countries with data for 2022.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Papua New Guinea 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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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.