Germany

Germany — Unemployment

Name: Unemployment rate (% of labour force)
Creator: World Bank

DE desk: Germany first; euro area, France, Italy, United Kingdom and United States alongside.

3.71%

+0.31 pp

As of 2025 | % of labour force

Mean: 6.64%
Median: 7.04%
Min: 3.07% 2023
Max: 11.19% 2005

Year	Value
2025	3.71%
2024	3.40%
2023	3.07%
2022	3.14%
2021	3.59%
2020	3.88%
2019	3.16%
2018	3.38%
2017	3.78%
2016	4.10%
2015	4.61%
2014	4.98%
2013	5.32%
2012	5.37%
2011	5.97%
2010	7.04%
2009	7.88%
2008	7.51%
2007	8.73%
2006	10.28%
2005	11.19%
2004	10.73%
2003	9.78%
2002	8.48%

#CountryUnemploymentChangeYear

57France7.54%+0.14 pp2025 71Italy6.39%−0.11 pp2025 73Euro area6.28%−0.06 pp2025 109United Kingdom4.75%+0.39 pp2025 120United States4.20%+0.18 pp2025

123Netherlands3.87%+0.17 pp2025

127Germany3.71%+0.31 pp2025

154Poland2.98%+0.17 pp2025

What the unemployment rate is

The unemployment rate is the share of the labour force without work but available for and seeking work. World Bank indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS, ILO modelled estimates — a common definition across economies, not a national labour-force survey. Latest: 3.71% in 2025.

A rise is more people unemployed relative to the labour force, not necessarily more people out of work if participation also moves. From 1991 to 2025 (35 years): mean 6.64%, median 7.04%; low 3.07% (2023), high 11.19% (2005).

Source: World Bank Open Data. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (terms).