Economy
Unemployment Rate
Definition
The percentage of the labor force that is actively seeking work but unable to find employment.
Explanation
The unemployment rate only counts people who are actively looking for work. It excludes discouraged workers who have stopped searching and underemployed workers in part-time jobs. A rate below 4-5% is generally considered "full employment." Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) is typically much higher than the overall rate.
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Explore unemployment rate data for all 218 countries with interactive charts and historical trends.
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