As of October 2024, global youth unemployment rates show significant variation across regions.
The Arab States continue to have the highest youth unemployment rate, at around 28.6%, followed by Northern Africa at 22.5%. Southern Asia, Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, and Eastern Asia have rates ranging from 14.3% to 14.9%.
In contrast, the lowest rates are seen in regions like North America (8.3%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (8.9%)
These rates reflect broader economic trends, with high youth unemployment often linked to factors such as education mismatches, economic instability, and limited access to secure employment, especially in lower-income regions
Despite improvements in some areas, many young people remain in precarious or informal jobs, contributing to a growing sense of anxiety about the future.
South Africa holds the highest unemployment rate globally, standing at 32.1%. Other countries facing significant joblessness include Djibouti, with a rate of 27.9%, and Eswatini at 24.65%.
This trend is especially notable in parts of Africa, where economic struggles and high population growth have compounded the unemployment issue.
Outside of Africa, countries such as Tuvalu and Equatorial Guinea also rank high in unemployment rates, at 26.6% and 25.0%, respectively
On the flip side, as of October 2024, Qatar has the lowest unemployment rate in the world, standing at just 0.1%. Other countries with notably low unemployment rates include Cambodia (0.2%) and Niger (0.6%)
These extremely low figures don’t necessarily reflect a high standard of living, as they are often influenced by specific labor market structures and economic conditions in these nations.
