Data lab
Unemployment Comparison
How have modeled unemployment rates changed across four different labor markets?
Live data panel
Compare the trend
Loading World Bank observations...
Definition and units
Indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS is the modeled ILO estimate of people without work who are available for and seeking employment, as a percentage of the total labor force. The denominator is the labor force, not the whole population.
Level: Compare percentages only after checking year and definition.
Model: Harmonized modeled estimates may differ from a national headline series.
Availability: The newest returned year can vary after revisions and publication lags.
What this indicator cannot tell you
The rate omits people outside the labor force and does not by itself reveal discouraged workers, involuntary part-time work, informality, pay, hours or job quality. A falling rate can coincide with lower participation.
Try it yourself
Use one displayed turning point to explain why unemployment and labor-force participation must be read together. State that the chart alone does not identify a cause.
Source and retrieval
The chart requests live World Bank observations and stores no snapshot. See the API response example, indicator page, and metadata definition. Record the retrieval date and actual year shown.