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

2018 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryYouth unemployment
7 Algeria 30.7%
12 Argentina 23.8%
23 Bangladesh 11.9%
9 Brazil 28.0%
22 Bulgaria 12.7%
27 Canada 10.7%
17 Chile 18.1%
30 China 9.7%
16 Colombia 19.4%
1 Congo - Brazzaville 42.7%
34 Congo - Kinshasa 8.3%
38 Czechia 6.7%
35 Ecuador 8.0%
10 Egypt 26.3%
19 Finland 17.0%
14 France 21.0%
3 Gabon 36.8%
40 Germany 6.2%
2 Greece 40.0%
28 Honduras 10.5%
32 Hong Kong SAR China 8.7%
11 India 26.0%
21 Indonesia 16.4%
6 Italy 32.2%
13 Lebanon 22.7%
42 Liberia 2.3%
26 Lithuania 11.1%
37 Mexico 6.8%
36 Netherlands 7.0%
31 Norway 9.6%
39 Philippines 6.6%
24 Poland 11.7%
20 Romania 16.6%
18 Russia 17.0%
8 Saudi Arabia 30.2%
41 Sierra Leone 3.6%
29 South Korea 10.1%
4 Spain 34.4%
15 Türkiye 20.0%
25 United Kingdom 11.6%
33 United States 8.6%
5 Yemen 32.7%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2018

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.