Youth unemployment (15-24) in Afghanistan stood at 16.79% in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is down 0.45 percentage points from 17.24% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 12.53% (up 4.25 percentage points since). The highest value since 1991 was 17.54% in 2022, the lowest 10.04% in 2010. Afghanistan ranked 64th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Djibouti ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Labor and Employment · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Youth unemployment (15-24), measured in %, reflects labor market conditions in Afghanistan, indicating the balance between available workers and job openings. It serves as a crucial signal of economic health, consumer spending capacity, and social stability. Labor market data typically includes multiple dimensions: unemployment rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor force participation, and wage growth. Each metric captures different aspects of job market dynamics — for example, the unemployment rate counts only those actively seeking work, while the participation rate reveals how many working-age people are engaged in the labor market. In Afghanistan, labor statistics are gathered through household surveys, employer reports, and administrative records like unemployment benefit claims. Changes in Youth unemployment (15-24) often precede broader economic shifts: rising unemployment typically signals slowing economic activity, while tightening labor markets may foreshadow wage pressures and inflation.
Youth unemployment (15-24) in Afghanistan stood at 16.79% in 2025, according to World Bank.
The latest value is down 0.45 percentage points from 17.24% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 12.53% (up 4.25 percentage points since).
Afghanistan ranked 64th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Djibouti ranked first.
The highest value since 1991 was 17.54% in 2022, the lowest 10.04% in 2010.
| Indicator | Youth unemployment (15-24) |
|---|---|
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Category | Labor and Employment |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Youth unemployment (15-24) — Afghanistan [Data set]. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/AFG. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS
World Bank. "Youth unemployment (15-24) — Afghanistan." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/AFG. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Youth unemployment (15-24) — Afghanistan." EconDash. Accessed November 8, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/AFG. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS.
@misc{econdash_youth_unemployment_15_24_afg,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Youth unemployment (15-24) --- Afghanistan}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/AFG},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-08. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for Afghanistan. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
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