Unemployment Rate in Asia 2026
Employment conditions vary considerably across Asia’s diverse economies. This page organizes the latest unemployment figures into a clear regional ranking, allowing readers to examine labor-market differences, explore the interactive map, and compare countries with relatively high or low unemployment.
See Also:
Unemployment Rate in Asian Countries
| # | Country | Unemployment Rate | Global Rank | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇯🇴Jordan |
21.3% | 7 | Asia |
| 2 | 🇾🇪Yemen |
17.1% | 14 | Asia |
| 3 | 🇮🇶Iraq |
15.6% | 17 | Asia |
| 4 | 🇬🇪Georgia |
13.9% | 21 | Asia |
| 5 | 🇦🇫Afghanistan |
13.3% | 22 | Asia |
| 6 | 🇸🇾Syria |
13% | 23 | Asia |
| 7 | 🇦🇲Armenia |
12.8% | 24 | Asia |
| 8 | 🇹🇯Tajikistan |
11.7% | 30 | Asia |
| 9 | 🇳🇵Nepal |
10.8% | 35 | Asia |
| 10 | 🇮🇷Iran |
9.2% | 43 | Asia |
| 11 | 🇹🇷Turkey |
8.3% | 52 | Asia |
| 12 | 🇵🇰Pakistan |
6.9% | 62 | Asia |
| 13 | 🇦🇿Azerbaijan |
5.3% | 90 | Asia |
| 14 | 🇨🇳China |
5.1% | 95 | Asia |
| 15 | 🇲🇳Mongolia |
5% | 99 | Asia |
| 16 | 🇱🇰Sri Lanka |
5% | 100 | Asia |
| 17 | 🇮🇳India |
4.9% | 101 | Asia |
| 18 | 🇮🇩Indonesia |
4.9% | 102 | Asia |
| 19 | 🇧🇳Brunei |
4.7% | 105 | Asia |
| 20 | 🇵🇭Philippines |
4.7% | 106 | Asia |
| 21 | 🇧🇩Bangladesh |
4.7% | 107 | Asia |
| 22 | 🇲🇻Maldives |
4.7% | 108 | Asia |
| 23 | 🇨🇾Cyprus |
4.6% | 110 | Asia |
| 24 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan |
4.6% | 111 | Asia |
| 25 | 🇹🇲Turkmenistan |
4.4% | 117 | Asia |
| 26 | 🇺🇿Uzbekistan |
4.3% | 121 | Asia |
| 27 | 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan |
4% | 128 | Asia |
| 28 | 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia |
3.9% | 133 | Asia |
| 29 | 🇹🇼Taiwan |
3.4% | 138 | Asia |
| 30 | 🇭🇰Hong Kong |
3.3% | 140 | Asia |
| 31 | 🇮🇱Israel |
3.2% | 141 | Asia |
| 32 | 🇴🇲Oman |
3.2% | 142 | Asia |
| 33 | 🇲🇲Myanmar |
3.1% | 148 | Asia |
| 34 | 🇲🇾Malaysia |
3% | 150 | Asia |
| 35 | 🇧🇹Bhutan |
2.9% | 158 | Asia |
| 36 | 🇰🇵North Korea |
2.9% | 160 | Asia |
| 37 | 🇰🇷South Korea |
2.8% | 161 | Asia |
| 38 | 🇯🇵Japan |
2.5% | 169 | Asia |
| 39 | 🇰🇼Kuwait |
2.2% | 173 | Asia |
| 40 | 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates |
2.2% | 175 | Asia |
| 41 | 🇻🇳Vietnam |
2.1% | 176 | Asia |
| 42 | 🇸🇬Singapore |
2% | 177 | Asia |
| 43 | 🇲🇴Macau |
1.7% | 180 | Asia |
| 44 | 🇹🇱Timor-Leste |
1.7% | 181 | Asia |
| 45 | 🇱🇦Laos |
1.3% | 184 | Asia |
| 46 | 🇧🇭Bahrain |
1.2% | 185 | Asia |
| 47 | 🇹🇭Thailand |
1% | 188 | Asia |
| 48 | 🇰🇭Cambodia |
0.3% | 191 | Asia |
| 49 | 🇶🇦Qatar |
0.2% | 192 | Asia |
Key Findings
Important labor-market patterns and country comparisons from the unemployment rate rankings across Asia.
Jordan Has the Highest Unemployment Rate in Asia
- Jordan ranks first in Asia with an unemployment rate of 21.3%.
- It is the only Asian country in the dataset with unemployment above 20%.
Yemen and Iraq Complete the Regional Top Three
- Yemen records 17.1%, while Iraq follows with an unemployment rate of 15.6%.
- All three leading countries report unemployment well above Asia’s regional rate of 5.61%.
Nine Asian Countries Report Double-Digit Unemployment
- Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Georgia, Afghanistan, Syria, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Nepal record rates of at least 10%.
- Nepal completes this group with an unemployment rate of 10.8%.
Pakistan Ranks Twelfth in Asia
- Pakistan records an unemployment rate of 6.9%, placing it twelfth among the 49 Asian economies listed.
- Pakistan’s rate is higher than the regional figure of 5.61% and lower than Turkey’s rate of 8.3%.
China and India Report Similar Unemployment Rates
- China records 5.1%, compared with India at 4.9%.
- Indonesia also reports 4.9%, placing it alongside India in the regional ranking.
Several Advanced Asian Economies Remain Below 3%
- South Korea records 2.8%, Japan 2.5%, Singapore 2%, and the United Arab Emirates 2.2%.
- These economies appear in the lower-unemployment portion of the Asian ranking.
Thailand, Cambodia, and Qatar Report Very Low Unemployment
- Thailand records 1%, Cambodia 0.3%, and Qatar only 0.2%.
- They are the only Asian economies in the dataset with unemployment of 1% or less.
Qatar Has the Lowest Unemployment Rate in Asia
- Qatar ranks last in the regional table with an unemployment rate of 0.2%.
- Cambodia follows at 0.3%, while Thailand records 1%.
Inflation Rate in Asia Comparison
The comparison chart displays unemployment differences across Asian economies in a clear visual format. It helps identify countries facing higher joblessness and compares them with economies reporting relatively low unemployment rates.
Unemployment in Asia
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Unemployment Rates in Asia
- Jordan — 21.3%
- Yemen — 17.1%
- Iraq — 15.6%
- Georgia — 13.9%
- Afghanistan — 13.3%
- Syria — 13%
- Armenia — 12.8%
- Tajikistan — 11.7%
- Nepal — 10.8%
- Iran — 9.2%
Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Unemployment Rates in Asia
- Qatar — 0.2%
- Cambodia — 0.3%
- Thailand — 1%
- Bahrain — 1.2%
- Laos — 1.3%
- Macau — 1.7%
- Timor-Leste — 1.7%
- Singapore — 2%
- Vietnam — 2.1%
- Kuwait — 2.2%
Definitions & Methodology
What is the unemployment rate in Asia?
The unemployment rate in Asia compares the percentage of the labor force without employment across Asian countries. It provides a regional view of where joblessness is relatively high or low.
How are Asian countries ranked?
Countries are arranged from the highest to the lowest reported unemployment rate. A higher percentage means that a larger share of the labor force is classified as unemployed.
Who is generally counted as unemployed?
An unemployed person is usually someone without paid work who is available to begin working and actively seeking employment under the applicable national or international definition.
Why do unemployment rates differ across Asia?
Differences may reflect economic growth, demographics, education, labor demand, investment, political stability, industrial development, and the size of the informal economy.
Does a low unemployment rate always indicate strong employment?
Not necessarily. Low official unemployment may exist alongside underemployment, informal jobs, low wages, limited working hours, or low participation in the formal labor force.
What is Asia’s regional unemployment rate?
Asia records an unemployment rate of 5.61% across the 49 countries included in the continent dataset. Individual country figures range from 21.3% in Jordan to 0.2% in Qatar.
How should these rankings be interpreted?
Country comparisons should consider differences in survey methods, reporting periods, labor-force participation, informal employment, data quality, and modeled estimates.
Unemployment Rate in Asia FAQs
Which country has the highest unemployment rate in Asia?
Jordan has the highest reported unemployment rate in Asia at 21.3%.
Which countries have the highest unemployment rates in Asia?
The five highest rates belong to Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Georgia, and Afghanistan.
What is the average unemployment rate in Asia?
Asia records a regional unemployment rate of 5.61% in this dataset.
What is Pakistan’s unemployment rate?
Pakistan reports an unemployment rate of 6.9%, placing it twelfth in the Asian ranking.
What are the unemployment rates in China and India?
China records an unemployment rate of 5.1%, while India reports 4.9%.
Which country has the lowest unemployment rate in Asia?
Qatar has the lowest reported unemployment rate in Asia at 0.2%.
Why do unemployment rates vary across Asian countries?
Differences may result from economic growth, population structure, education, labor-market policies, industrial development, political conditions, investment, and informal employment.