Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 1.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.9%
Change on year
down 12.8%
World rank
169th
of 185 countries
All-time high
4.3%
in 2020
All-time low
1.1%
in 1985
Years of data
16
1975–2024

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024

12341975199920241975: 2 %1980: 1.2 %1985: 1.1 %1995: 1.8 %2000: 2.3 %2005: 3.1 %2008: 4 %2016: 1.6 %2017: 2.5 %2018: 2.2 %2019: 2.3 %2020: 4.3 %2021: 3.1 %2022: 2.9 %2023: 2.2 %2024: 1.9 %

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 United Arab Emirates is 1.9%, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 12.8% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1985.

United Arab Emirates ranks 169th of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1
1980s 1.2% 1.1% 1.2% 2
1990s 1.8% 1.8% 1.8% 1
2000s 3.1% 2.3% 4.0% 3
2010s 2.2% 1.6% 2.5% 4
2020s 2.9% 1.9% 4.3% 5

Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates

  1. 166 Palau 2.1% compare
  2. 167 Togo 2.0% compare
  3. 168 Guatemala 1.9% compare
  4. 170 Cuba 1.7% compare
  5. 171 Benin 1.7% compare
  6. 172 Tonga 1.7% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for United Arab Emirates

All data for United Arab Emirates →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates was 1.9% 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 United Arab Emirates?
The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2020.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1985.
How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
United Arab Emirates ranks 169th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.