Unemployment rate, by sex

Unemployment rates represent unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force. The labour force is the total number of people employed and unemployed. Unemployed persons comprise persons aged 15 to 74 who were: a. without work during the reference week, b. currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment before the end of the two weeks following the reference week, c. actively seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in the four weeks period ending with the reference week to seek paid employment or self-employment or who found a job to start later, i.e. within a period of, at most, three months.

Additional information on Eurostat web page

Total
	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
EU (27 countries)	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	8.8	8.6	8.9	9.1	9.3	9.0	8.3	7.2	7.1	9.0	9.7	9.6	10.5
Belgium	6.6	6.4	7.1	8.6	9.8	9.7	9.5	9.2	9.3	8.5	6.9	6.6	7.5	8.2	8.4	8.5	8.3	7.5	7.0	7.9	8.3	7.2	7.3
Bulgaria	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	16.4	19.5	18.2	13.7	12.1	10.1	9.0	6.9	5.6	6.8	10.3	11.3	12.2
Czech Republic	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.3	8.6	8.7	8.0	7.3	7.8	8.3	7.9	7.1	5.3	4.4	6.7	7.3	6.7	7.0
Denmark	7.2	7.9	8.6	9.6	7.7	6.7	6.3	5.2	4.9	5.2	4.3	4.5	4.6	5.4	5.5	4.8	3.9	3.8	3.4	6.0	7.5	7.6	7.7
Germany	..	5.5	6.6	7.8	8.5	8.3	8.9	9.7	9.4	8.6	8.0	7.9	8.7	9.8	10.5	11.3	10.3	8.7	7.5	7.8	7.1	5.9	5.5
Estonia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.6	12.6	10.3	10.1	9.7	7.9	5.9	4.6	5.5	13.8	16.9	12.5	..
Ireland	13.4	14.7	15.4	15.6	14.3	12.3	11.7	9.9	7.5	5.6	4.2	3.9	4.5	4.6	4.5	4.4	4.5	4.7	6.4	12.0	13.9	14.7	14.8
Greece	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	11.1	12.0	11.2	10.7	10.3	9.7	10.5	9.9	8.9	8.3	7.7	9.5	12.6	17.7	..
Spain	14.4	14.5	16.3	20.1	21.3	20.0	19.1	17.8	15.9	13.2	11.7	10.5	11.4	11.4	10.9	9.2	8.5	8.3	11.3	18.0	20.1	21.7	25.0
France	8.0	8.4	9.3	10.6	11.1	10.5	11.0	11.1	10.7	10.4	9.0	8.2	8.3	8.9	9.3	9.3	9.2	8.4	7.8	9.5	9.7	9.6	10.3
Italy	8.9 ^(p)	8.5 ^(p)	8.8	9.7	10.6	11.2	11.2	11.2	11.3	10.9	10.0	9.0	8.5	8.4	8.0	7.7	6.8	6.1	6.7	7.8	8.4	8.4	..
Cyprus	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	4.8	4.0	3.6	4.2	4.7	5.5	4.7	4.1	3.8	5.5	6.5	7.9	12.1
Latvia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	14.3	14.0	13.7	12.9	12.8	11.3	11.2	9.6	7.3	6.5	8.0	18.2	19.8	16.2	..
Lithuania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.2	14.6	16.4	17.4 ^(s)	13.8 ^(s)	12.4 ^(s)	11.3 ^(s)	8.0 ^(s)	5.2 ^(s)	3.8 ^(s)	5.3 ^(s)	13.6 ^(s)	18.0 ^(s)	15.3	13.0
Luxembourg	1.7	1.6	2.1	2.6	3.2	2.9	2.9	2.7	2.7	2.4	2.2	1.9	2.6	3.8	5.0	4.6	4.6	4.2	4.9	5.1	4.6	4.8	5.0
Hungary	..	..	..	..	..	..	9.9	9.1	8.7	6.9	6.3	5.6	5.6	5.8	6.1	7.2	7.5	7.4	7.8	10.0	11.2	10.9	..
Malta	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.7	7.6	7.4	7.7	7.2	7.3	6.9	6.5	6.0	6.9	6.9	6.5	6.5
Netherlands	5.1	4.8	4.9	5.5	6.2	7.1	6.4	5.5	4.3	3.5	3.1	2.5	3.1	4.2	5.1	5.3	4.4	3.6	3.1	3.7	4.5	4.4	5.3
Austria	..	..	..	..	3.8	3.9	4.3	4.4	4.5	3.9	3.6	3.6	4.2	4.3	4.9	5.2	4.8	4.4	3.8	4.8	4.4	4.2	..
Poland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	10.9	10.2	13.4	16.1	18.3	20.0	19.7	19.1	17.9	13.9	9.6	7.0	8.1	9.6	9.6	10.2
Portugal	4.8	4.2	4.1	5.5	6.8	7.2	7.2	6.7	5.6 ^(e)	5.0 ^(e)	4.5 ^(e)	4.6 ^(e)	5.7 ^(e)	7.1 ^(e)	7.5 ^(e)	8.6 ^(e)	8.6 ^(e)	8.9 ^(e)	8.5 ^(e)	10.6 ^(e)	12.0 ^(e)	12.9	15.7
Romania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	5.3	5.4	6.2	6.8	6.6	7.5	6.8	8.0	7.2	7.3	6.4	5.8	6.9	7.3	7.4	7.0
Slovenia	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.9	6.9	7.4	7.3	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.7	6.3	6.5	6.0	4.9	4.4	5.9	7.3	8.2	9.0
Slovakia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	12.9	16.5	18.9	19.5	18.8	17.7	18.4	16.4	13.5	11.2	9.6	12.1	14.5	13.6	14.0
Finland	3.2	6.6	11.7	16.3	16.6	15.4	14.6	12.7	11.4	10.2	9.8	9.1	9.1	9.0	8.8	8.4	7.7	6.9	6.4	8.2	8.4	7.8	7.7
Sweden	1.7	3.1	5.6	9.1	9.4	8.8	9.6	9.9	8.2	6.7	5.6	5.8 ^(b)	6.0	6.6	7.4	7.7	7.1	6.1	6.2	8.3	8.4	7.5	7.7
United Kingdom	6.9	8.6	9.8	10.2	9.3	8.5	7.9	6.8	6.1	5.9	5.4	5.0	5.1	5.0	4.7	4.8	5.4	5.3	5.6	7.6	7.8	8.0	..
Iceland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	3.3	3.1	2.6	2.9	2.3	3.0	7.2	7.6	7.1	6.0
Norway	5.2	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.4	4.9 ^(b)	4.7	3.9 ^(b)	3.1	3.0	3.2	3.4	3.7	4.2	4.3	4.5	3.4 ^(b)	2.5	2.5	3.2	3.6	3.3	..
Switzerland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Croatia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	14.8	14.2	13.7	12.7	11.2	9.0	8.4	9.1	11.8	13.5	15.8
Japan	2.1	2.1	2.2	2.5	2.9	3.1	3.4	3.4	4.1	4.7	4.7	5.0	5.4	5.3	4.7	4.4	4.1	3.9	4.0	5.1	5.1	4.6 ^(b)	..
Turkey	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	9.2	8.7	8.8 ^(b)	9.7	12.5	10.7	8.8	..
United States	5.5	6.7	7.4	6.8	6.1	5.6	5.4	4.9	4.5	4.2	4.0	4.8	5.8	6.0	5.5	5.1	4.6	4.6	5.8	9.3	9.6	8.9	8.1
Males
	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
EU (27 countries)	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	7.8	7.7	8.2	8.5	8.6	8.4	7.6	6.6	6.6	9.1	9.7	9.6	10.4
Belgium	4.0	4.2	5.1	6.7	7.7	7.6	7.4	7.3	7.7	7.1	5.6	5.9	6.7	7.7	7.5	7.6	7.4	6.7	6.5	7.8	8.1	7.1	7.3
Bulgaria	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	16.7	20.2	18.8	14.0	12.5	10.3	8.6	6.5	5.5	6.9	10.8	12.3	13.6
Czech Republic	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	5.0	7.2	7.3	6.7	5.9	6.1	7.1	6.4	5.8	4.2	3.5	5.8	6.4	5.8	6.1
Denmark	6.8	7.2	8.0	9.3	7.1	5.6	5.3	4.4	3.9	4.6	3.9	4.1	4.3	4.8	5.1	4.4	3.3	3.4	3.2	6.6	8.4	7.7	7.8
Germany	..	4.5	5.2	6.5	7.2	7.2	8.2	9.0	8.9	8.2	7.7	7.8	8.8	10.1	10.7	11.6	10.3	8.6	7.4	8.1	7.5	6.2	5.7
Estonia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	14.5	13.1	10.8	10.3	10.4	8.9	6.1	5.4	5.7	16.9	19.5	13.1	..
Ireland	12.9	14.2	15.1	15.4	14.2	12.2	11.5	9.9	7.7	5.7	4.3	4.1	4.7	4.9	4.8	4.6	4.7	5.0	7.6	15.0	17.1	17.8	17.9
Greece	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	7.3	7.9	7.4	7.2	6.8	6.2	6.6	6.1	5.6	5.2	5.1	6.9	9.9	15.0	..
Spain	10.5	10.8	12.6	16.7	17.4	15.8	15.1	13.7	11.7	9.4	8.2	7.5	8.2	8.4	8.1	7.1	6.3	6.4	10.1	17.7	19.7	21.2	24.7
France	6.2	6.7	7.6	9.2	9.7	9.0	9.6	9.9	9.4	8.9	7.5	6.9	7.4	8.0	8.4	8.4	8.5	7.8	7.3	9.3	9.4	9.1	10.1
Italy	6.2 ^(p)	6.0 ^(p)	6.4	7.2	8.2	8.6	8.6	8.6	8.6	8.3	7.7	6.9	6.5	6.5	6.4	6.2	5.4	4.9	5.5	6.8	7.6	7.6	..
Cyprus	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	3.1	2.8	3.0	3.8	3.7	4.7	4.1	3.6	3.4	5.6	6.5	8.1	12.9
Latvia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	15.1	14.4	14.4	14.2	14.1	11.5	11.5	9.8	8.0	6.9	8.6	21.7	23.1	18.6	..
Lithuania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	14.7	16.2	18.8	20.0 ^(s)	14.6 ^(s)	12.6 ^(s)	10.9 ^(s)	7.9 ^(s)	5.4 ^(s)	3.7 ^(s)	5.5 ^(s)	17.1 ^(s)	21.6 ^(s)	17.7	15.0
Luxembourg	1.2	1.3	1.7	2.2	2.6	2.0	2.2	2.0	1.9	1.8	1.8	1.6	2.0	3.0	3.6	3.6	3.5	3.4	4.1	4.5	3.8	3.9	4.5
Hungary	..	..	..	..	..	..	10.7	9.9	9.4	7.3	6.8	6.1	6.0	6.0	6.1	7.0	7.2	7.1	7.6	10.3	11.6	11.0	..
Malta	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.4	6.9	6.6	7.0	6.4	6.6	6.1	5.9	5.6	6.6	6.9	6.2	5.9
Netherlands	3.9	3.9	4.0	4.8	5.6	5.9	5.2	4.4	3.5	2.8	2.4	2.1	2.7	4.1	4.9	4.9	3.9	3.1	2.8	3.7	4.4	4.5	5.3
Austria	..	..	..	..	3.0	3.1	3.6	3.6	3.8	3.3	3.1	3.1	4.0	4.0	4.5	4.9	4.3	3.9	3.6	5.0	4.6	4.0	..
Poland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	9.1	8.5	11.8	14.4	16.9	19.2	19.1	18.3	16.7	13.0	9.0	6.4	7.7	9.3	9.0	9.5
Portugal	3.3	2.8	3.5	4.6	6.0	6.4	6.4	6.0	4.8 ^(e)	4.7 ^(e)	3.8 ^(e)	3.9 ^(e)	5.1 ^(e)	6.7 ^(e)	7.2 ^(e)	8.1 ^(e)	7.9 ^(e)	8.0 ^(e)	7.9 ^(e)	10.7 ^(e)	11.8 ^(e)	12.7	16.0
Romania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	5.0	5.5	6.8	7.2	6.9	7.8	7.2	9.0	7.7	8.2	7.2	6.7	7.7	7.9	7.9	7.5
Slovenia	..	..	..	..	..	..	7.0	6.8	7.3	7.2	6.5	5.7	5.9	6.3	5.9	6.1	4.9	4.0	4.0	5.9	7.5	8.2	8.5
Slovakia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	12.2	16.4	19.0	19.9	18.8	17.5	17.5	15.6	12.4	10.0	8.4	11.5	14.3	13.6	13.6
Finland	3.6	8.0	13.6	18.1	18.1	15.7	14.3	12.3	10.9	9.8	9.1	8.6	9.1	9.2	8.7	8.2	7.4	6.5	6.1	8.9	9.1	8.4	8.3
Sweden	1.7	3.4	6.6	10.7	10.8	9.7	10.1	10.2	8.4	6.6	5.9	6.1 ^(b)	6.3	6.9	7.6	7.7	6.9	5.9	5.9	8.6	8.5	7.6	7.9
United Kingdom	7.2	9.6	11.5	12.1	11.0	9.9	9.2	7.6	6.8	6.5	5.9	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.1	5.2	5.8	5.6	6.1	8.6	8.6	8.7	..
Iceland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	3.6	3.2	2.6	2.7	2.3	3.3	8.6	8.3	7.8	6.4
Norway	5.6	5.8	6.6	6.6	6.0	5.2 ^(b)	4.7	3.8 ^(b)	3.0	3.2	3.4	3.5	3.8	4.5	4.6	4.7	3.5 ^(b)	2.6	2.7	3.6	4.1	3.5	..
Switzerland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Croatia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.3	12.9	12.1	11.6	9.9	7.8	7.0	8.0	11.4	13.8	16.0
Japan	2.0	2.0	2.1	2.4	2.8	3.1	3.3	3.4	4.2	4.8	4.9	5.2	5.5	5.5	4.9	4.6	4.3	3.9	4.1	5.3	5.4	4.8 ^(b)	..
Turkey	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	9.1	8.6	8.7 ^(b)	9.6	12.5	10.4	8.3	..
United States	5.6	7.0	7.8	7.1	6.2	5.6	5.4	4.9	4.4	4.1	3.9	4.8	5.9	6.3	5.6	5.1	4.6	4.7	6.1	10.3	10.5	9.4	8.2
Females
	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
EU (27 countries)	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	10.0	9.6	9.8	9.9	10.1	9.8	9.0	7.9	7.6	8.9	9.6	9.8	10.5
Belgium	10.4	9.8	10.0	11.5	12.7	12.7	12.5	11.9	11.6	10.3	8.5	7.5	8.6	8.9	9.5	9.5	9.3	8.5	7.6	8.1	8.5	7.2	7.4
Bulgaria	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	16.2	18.6	17.4	13.4	11.6	10.0	9.4	7.4	5.8	6.7	9.6	10.1	10.6
Czech Republic	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	8.0	10.3	10.3	9.7	9.0	9.9	9.9	9.8	8.8	6.7	5.6	7.7	8.4	7.9	8.2
Denmark	7.6	8.6	9.2	9.9	8.5	8.1	7.5	6.2	6.0	5.8	4.8	5.0	5.0	6.1	6.0	5.3	4.5	4.2	3.7	5.3	6.5	7.5	7.6
Germany	..	7.0	8.5	9.6	10.1	9.7	9.9	10.5	10.2	9.1	8.4	7.9	8.5	9.4	10.2	11.0	10.2	8.8	7.7	7.3	6.6	5.6	5.2
Estonia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	12.6	12.2	9.7	9.9	9.0	7.0	5.6	3.8	5.3	10.6	14.3	11.8	..
Ireland	14.6	15.8	16.0	16.0	14.6	12.5	11.8	9.9	7.3	5.5	4.1	3.8	4.1	4.1	4.0	4.1	4.3	4.3	4.9	8.2	9.9	10.8	11.0
Greece	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	17.1	18.1	17.1	16.1	15.7	15.0	16.2	15.3	13.6	12.8	11.4	13.2	16.2	21.4	..
Spain	21.8	21.4	22.9	26.1	28.1	27.0	25.7	24.4	22.6	19.3	17.0	15.1	16.2	15.8	14.8	12.2	11.6	10.9	13.0	18.4	20.5	22.2	25.4
France	10.4	10.7	11.4	12.2	12.8	12.4	12.7	12.7	12.4	12.1	10.8	9.7	9.3	9.9	10.3	10.3	10.1	9.0	8.4	9.8	10.1	10.2	10.4
Italy	13.5 ^(p)	12.9 ^(p)	12.9	13.9	14.7	15.4	15.3	15.4	15.4	14.8	13.6	12.1	11.4	11.3	10.5	10.1	8.8	7.9	8.5	9.3	9.7	9.6	..
Cyprus	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	7.1	5.5	4.3	4.7	6.0	6.5	5.4	4.6	4.3	5.5	6.4	7.7	11.2
Latvia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.6	13.6	12.9	11.5	11.5	11.2	10.9	9.3	6.6	6.0	7.4	14.8	16.7	13.8	..
Lithuania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	11.6	13.0	14.0	14.7 ^(s)	12.9 ^(s)	12.1 ^(s)	11.7 ^(s)	8.1 ^(s)	5.1 ^(s)	3.9 ^(s)	5.2 ^(s)	10.1 ^(s)	14.4 ^(s)	12.9	11.0
Luxembourg	2.5	2.3	2.8	3.3	4.1	4.3	4.2	3.9	4.0	3.3	2.9	2.4	3.5	4.9	6.8	6.1	5.9	5.1	5.9	5.9	5.5	6.0	5.6
Hungary	..	..	..	..	..	..	8.9	8.0	7.9	6.2	5.6	4.9	5.1	5.5	6.1	7.4	7.8	7.7	8.1	9.7	10.7	10.9	..
Malta	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	7.4	9.3	9.3	9.3	9.0	8.9	8.5	7.6	6.9	7.6	7.1	7.1	7.6
Netherlands	7.0	6.2	6.2	6.6	7.1	8.7	8.2	6.9	5.5	4.5	3.9	3.2	3.5	4.3	5.3	5.8	5.0	4.1	3.4	3.8	4.5	4.4	5.2
Austria	..	..	..	..	5.0	5.0	5.3	5.4	5.4	4.7	4.3	4.2	4.4	4.7	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.0	4.1	4.6	4.2	4.3	..
Poland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.0	12.2	15.3	18.2	19.9	21.0	20.5	20.1	19.3	15.0	10.3	7.8	8.5	9.9	10.4	11.0
Portugal	6.7	5.9	5.0	6.6	7.9	8.1	8.2	7.6	6.6 ^(e)	5.4 ^(e)	5.2 ^(e)	5.4 ^(e)	6.4 ^(e)	7.7 ^(e)	8.0 ^(e)	9.1 ^(e)	9.3 ^(e)	10.0 ^(e)	9.2 ^(e)	10.5 ^(e)	12.2 ^(e)	13.2	15.5
Romania	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	5.7	5.3	5.6	6.3	6.2	7.1	6.3	6.9	6.4	6.1	5.4	4.7	5.8	6.5	6.8	6.3
Slovenia	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.7	7.1	7.5	7.6	7.0	6.8	6.8	7.1	6.9	7.1	7.2	5.9	4.8	5.8	7.1	8.2	9.6
Slovakia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	13.7	16.6	18.7	18.9	18.9	17.9	19.3	17.4	14.8	12.8	11.0	12.9	14.7	13.6	14.5
Finland	2.7	5.1	9.6	14.4	14.8	15.1	14.9	13.0	12.0	10.7	10.6	9.7	9.1	8.9	8.9	8.6	8.1	7.2	6.7	7.6	7.6	7.1	7.1
Sweden	1.7	2.8	4.4	7.3	7.8	7.8	9.0	9.5	8.0	6.8	5.3	5.6 ^(b)	5.6	6.2	7.1	7.6	7.2	6.5	6.6	8.0	8.2	7.5	7.4
United Kingdom	6.4	7.3	7.5	7.8	7.2	6.8	6.3	5.8	5.3	5.2	4.8	4.4	4.5	4.3	4.2	4.3	4.9	5.0	5.1	6.4	6.8	7.3	..
Iceland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	3.1	2.9	2.6	3.1	2.3	2.6	5.7	6.7	6.2	5.7
Norway	4.8	5.0	5.1	5.2	4.8	4.6 ^(b)	4.8	4.1 ^(b)	3.2	2.9	3.1	3.3	3.5	3.9	3.9	4.3	3.4 ^(b)	2.5	2.4	2.7	3.0	3.1	..
Switzerland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Croatia	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	16.6	15.8	15.7	13.9	12.8	10.4	10.1	10.3	12.3	13.2	15.6
Japan	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.6	3.0	3.2	3.4	3.4	4.0	4.5	4.5	4.7	5.1	4.9	4.4	4.2	3.9	3.7	3.8	4.8	4.6	4.2 ^(b)	..
Turkey	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	9.3	9.1	9.1 ^(b)	10.0	12.6	11.4	10.1	..
United States	5.4	6.3	6.9	6.5	6.0	5.6	5.4	5.0	4.6	4.3	4.1	4.7	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.1	4.6	4.5	5.4	8.1	8.6	8.5	7.9

(..) - not available
(p) - provisional
(s) - Eurostat estimate
(e) - estimated
(b) - break in time series

Source: Eurostat