Thursday, October 22 Beijing
  1. Home
  2. Statistics
  3. China
  4. Economy & jobs
  5. Youth unemployment
Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Youth unemployment in China

1991 – 2025 · 35 data points 17 of 41 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1991 – 2025

Youth unemployment, 1991 – 2025 percent · China · World
+5.1 pp since 2015
China World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1991 – 2025

Compared with Youth unemployment · percent
China
15.8%
World
13.4%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance China · 1991 – 2025
Latest value 15.8% · 2025
First value 4.4% · 1991
Highest 15.8% · 2025
Lowest 4.4% · 1991
Data points 35

By year

All years · 1991 – 2025

YearChinaChange World
2025 15.8% +0.8 pp 13.4%
2024 15.0% −0.5 pp 13.3%
2023 15.6% +0.9 pp 13.4%
2022 14.7% +2.3 pp 14.1%
2021 12.4% −0.2 pp 15.7%
2020 12.6% +2.0 pp 17.1%
2019 10.7% +1.0 pp 15.3%
2018 9.7% −0.8 pp 15.9%
2017 10.4% −0.1 pp 16.1%
2016 10.6% −0.1 pp 16.0%
2015 10.7% +0.2 pp 16.0%
2014 10.5% +0.2 pp 15.6%
2013 10.3% +0.2 pp 15.7%
2012 10.2% +0.2 pp 15.7%
2011 10.0% +0.2 pp 15.3%
2010 9.8% −0.3 pp 15.2%
2009 10.2% +0.3 pp 15.3%
2008 9.8% +0.6 pp 14.3%
2007 9.2% −0.1 pp 14.2%
2006 9.3% −0.2 pp 14.5%
2005 9.5% +0.1 pp 14.9%
2004 9.4% −0.2 pp 14.8%
2003 9.6% +0.7 pp 15.0%
2002 8.9% +0.9 pp 14.9%
2001 8.0% +1.2 pp 14.5%
2000 6.8% +0.1 pp 14.3%
1999 6.8% +0.1 pp 14.4%
1998 6.7% +0.1 pp 14.1%
1997 6.6% +0.3 pp 13.7%
1996 6.3% +0.3 pp 13.6%
1995 5.9% +0.3 pp 13.4%
1994 5.6% +0.5 pp 13.0%
1993 5.1% +0.7 pp 12.4%
1992 4.4% +0.1 pp 11.8%
1991 4.4% 11.5%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1991 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2015 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryYouth unemployment
8 Algeria 30.4%
17 Argentina 20.3%
32 Bangladesh 10.6%
18 Brazil 19.5%
14 Bulgaria 21.7%
26 Canada 12.8%
24 Chile 15.8%
31 China 10.7%
20 Colombia 17.3%
3 Congo - Brazzaville 41.2%
39 Congo - Kinshasa 8.2%
27 Czechia 12.6%
36 Ecuador 8.8%
6 Egypt 34.2%
12 Finland 22.3%
10 France 25.3%
5 Gabon 35.9%
41 Germany 7.3%
1 Greece 49.7%
30 Honduras 11.0%
33 Hong Kong SAR China 10.4%
11 India 25.0%
21 Indonesia 17.2%
4 Italy 40.3%
16 Lebanon 20.6%
42 Liberia 1.9%
23 Lithuania 16.3%
37 Mexico 8.5%
29 Netherlands 11.1%
35 Norway 9.8%
38 Philippines 8.5%
15 Poland 20.7%
13 Romania 22.0%
22 Russia 16.4%
9 Saudi Arabia 28.2%
40 Sierra Leone 8.1%
34 South Korea 9.9%
2 Spain 48.4%
19 Türkiye 18.3%
25 United Kingdom 15.2%
28 United States 11.6%
7 Yemen 32.7%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2015

What it means

The unemployment rate among young people aged 15–24.

How it is calculated

Unemployed people aged 15–24 divided by the labour force of the same age.