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
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024
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.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 2.0% | — |
| 1980 | 1.2% | -39.6% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +57.2% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +38.4% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | +28.5% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -59.2% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | +50.5% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +84.2% |
| 2021 | 3.1% | -27.7% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -25.1% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | -12.8% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 38% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.0%, 27% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More reference data data for United Arab Emirates
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0407 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4839 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1364 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0486 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 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.