ARCHIVE // CN // TIME-SERIES
Unemployment rate
China — 36 years of data
Historical Values
| Year | Value |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.0% in urban areas (1989) |
| 1991 | 2.6% in urban areas (1990) |
| 1992 | 4.0% in urban areas (1991) |
| 1993 | 2.3% in urban areas (1992) |
| 1994 | 2.3% in urban areas (1992); substantial underemployment |
| 1995 | 2.7% in urban areas (1994); substantial underemployment |
| 1996 | 5.2% in urban areas (1995 est.); substantial underemployment |
| 1997 | officially 3% in urban areas; probably 8%-10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (1996 est.) |
| 1998 | officially 4% in urban areas; probably 8%-10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (1997 est.) |
| 1999 | officially 3% in urban areas; probably 8%-10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (1998 est.) |
| 2000 | urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (1999 est.) |
| 2001 | urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2000 est.) |
| 2002 | urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.) |
| 2003 | urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.) |
| 2004 | 10.1% urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2003 est.) |
| 2005 | 9.8% in urban areas; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; an official Chinese journal estimated overall unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at 20% (2004 est.) |
| 2006 | 9% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2004; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; an official Chinese journal estimated overall unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at 20% (2005 est.) |
| 2007 | 4.2% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2005; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2005) |
| 2008 | 4% unemployment in urban areas; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2007 est.) |
| 2009 | 4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 4% (2007 est.) note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas |
| 2010 | 4.3% (September 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 4.2% (December 2008 est.) note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas |
| 2011 | 6.1% (September 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 6.3% (December 2008 est.) note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas |
| 2012 | 6.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 6.5% (2011 est.) note: registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants was 4.1% in 2010 |
| 2013 | 6.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 6.5% (2011 est.) note: registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants, was 4.1% in 2012 |
| 2014 | 4.1% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 4.1% (2012 est.) note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2015 | 4.1% (2014 est.) | 4.1% (2013 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants | country comparison to the world: 36 |
| 2016 | 4% (2015 est.) | 4.1% (2014 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants | country comparison to the world: 35 |
| 2017 | 4% (2016 est.) | 4% (2015 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants | country comparison to the world: 48 |
| 2018 | 3.9% (2017 est.) | 4% (2016 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2019 | 3.9% (2017 est.) | 4% (2016 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2020 | 3.64% (2019 est.) | 3.84% (2018 est.) | note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2021 | 3.64% (2019 est.) 3.84% (2018 est.) note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2022 | 3.64% (2019 est.) 3.84% (2018 est.) note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2023 | 4.82% (2021 est.) 5% (2020 est.) 4.52% (2019 est.) note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants |
| 2024 | 4.67% (2023 est.) 4.98% (2022 est.) 4.55% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment |
| 2025 | 4.6% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment |