Unemployment, modelled ILO estimate (% of total labour force) - SDG in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, modelled ILO estimate (% of total labour force) - SDG was 2.17 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, modelled ILO estimate (% of total labour force) - SDG in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg in United Arab Emirates stood at 2.17.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.29 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.63, in 1991.
United Arab Emirates ranks 65th of 69 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, modelled ILO estimate (% of total labour force) - SDG in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.63 | — |
| 1992 | 1.72 | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 1.9 | +10.8% |
| 1994 | 1.83 | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 1.8 | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 1.84 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.91 | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 2.07 | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 2.19 | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 2.25 | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 2.44 | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 2.66 | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 2.9 | +9.2% |
| 2004 | 2.96 | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 3.12 | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 2.96 | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 2.93 | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.82 | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 2.93 | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 2.8 | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 2.59 | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 2.32 | -10.2% |
| 2013 | 2.12 | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 2 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 1.79 | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 1.64 | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 2.46 | +50.1% |
| 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 | 2.16 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 2.17 | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.88 | 1.63 | 2.19 | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.8 | 2.25 | 3.12 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.23 | 1.64 | 2.8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.79 | 2.15 | 4.29 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More social development data for United Arab Emirates
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,377 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg in United Arab Emirates was 2.17 in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4.29 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.63 in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 65th out of 69 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, modelled ilo estimate (% of total labour force) - sdg rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. 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, modelled ILO estimate (% of total labour force) - SDG 8.5.2. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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