Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 12.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
12.1%
Change on year
up 30.6%
World rank
17th
of 185 countries
All-time high
12.1%
in 2024
All-time low
4.4%
in 2004
Years of data
14
1982–2024

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe, 1982–2024

02.557.51012.51982200320241982: 10.8 %1987: 7.2 %1994: 5 %1997: 6.9 %1999: 6 %2004: 4.4 %2011: 5.4 %2012: 11.1 %2014: 4.8 %2019: 7.4 %2021: 9.5 %2022: 10 %2023: 9.3 %2024: 12.1 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe stood at 12.1%. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 30.6% on the previous year and up 154.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe peaked at 12.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2004.

That places Zimbabwe 17th out of 185 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 9.0% 7.2% 10.8% 2
1990s 6.0% 5.0% 6.9% 3
2000s 4.4% 4.4% 4.4% 1
2010s 7.1% 4.8% 11.1% 4
2020s 10.2% 9.3% 12.1% 4

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

  1. 14 Guyana 14.7% compare
  2. 15 Haiti 14.1% compare
  3. 16 Yemen 13.5% compare
  4. 18 Morocco 11.8% compare
  5. 19 Algeria 11.7% compare
  6. 20 Montenegro 11.5% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Zimbabwe

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Zimbabwe was 12.1% 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 Zimbabwe?
The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 2024.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Zimbabwe?
The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2004.
How does Zimbabwe rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Zimbabwe ranks 17th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
Over the last ten years it is up 154.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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 — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.