Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 was 1.88 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.88
Change on year
down 12.8%
World rank
65th
of 69 countries
All-time high
4.29
in 2020
All-time low
1.15
in 1985
Years of data
16
1975–2024
Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates is 1.88, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.8% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.29 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.15, in 1985.
That places United Arab Emirates 65th out of 69 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1.96 | — |
| 1980 | 1.18 | -39.6% |
| 1985 | 1.15 | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 1.8 | +57.2% |
| 2000 | 2.25 | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 3.12 | +38.4% |
| 2008 | 4.01 | +28.5% |
| 2016 | 1.64 | -59.2% |
| 2017 | 2.46 | +50.5% |
| 2018 | 2.24 | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 2.33 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 4.29 | +84.2% |
| 2021 | 3.1 | -27.7% |
| 2022 | 2.87 | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 2.15 | -25.1% |
| 2024 | 1.88 | -12.8% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.88 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.67, 40% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.88 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.47, 20% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.96 | 1.96 | 1.96 | 1 |
| 1980s | 1.16 | 1.15 | 1.18 | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.13 | 2.25 | 4.01 | 3 |
| 2010s | 2.17 | 1.64 | 2.46 | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.86 | 1.88 | 4.29 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 62 Russian Federation 2.43 compare
- 63 Liechtenstein 2.31 compare
- 64 Kuwait 2.16 compare
- 66 Republic of Moldova 1.43 compare
- 67 Bahrain 0.894 compare
- 68 Qatar 0.1 compare
More health data for United Arab Emirates
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.3472 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 308.9 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 287 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 6.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0264 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 3.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 in United Arab Emirates was 1.88 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4.29 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.15 in 1985.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 65th out of 69 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - sdg 8.5.2 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 UNICEF, published as part of Unemployment, national estimate (% of total labor force) - SDG 8.5.2. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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