Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia
Zambia: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 5.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia, 1986–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 5.7% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2024.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 52.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia peaked at 19.7% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 2017.
That places Zambia 86th out of 185 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 13.0% | — |
| 1990 | 15.0% | +15.4% |
| 1991 | 19.4% | +29.3% |
| 1993 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | -22.3% |
| 1998 | 12.0% | -21.6% |
| 2000 | 12.9% | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 15.9% | +23.0% |
| 2008 | 7.9% | -50.1% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | +66.2% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | -40.4% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | +51.3% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -61.9% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +11.1% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 6.0% | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | -13.8% |
| 2022 | 6.0% | +15.3% |
| 2023 | 5.9% | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -3.3% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 5.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.0%, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 5.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.6%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.0% | 13.0% | 13.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 16.3% | 12.0% | 19.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 12.3% | 7.9% | 15.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 8.0% | 4.5% | 13.2% | 6 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.2% | 6.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 83 Senegal 5.8% compare
- 84 Azerbaijan 5.7% compare
- 85 Afghanistan 5.7% compare
- 87 Puerto Rico 5.6% compare
- 88 Kenya 5.6% compare
- 89 Guam 5.4% compare
- 89 Slovakia 5.4% compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zambia was 5.7% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2017.
- How does Zambia rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Zambia ranks 86th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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 — 20 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.