South Africa, Nigeria lead in youth unemployment rankings globally

The global ranking of countries with the highest rates of youth unemployment has been unveiled, shedding light on the challenging employment landscape for young individuals worldwide. The statistics, provided by the World of Statistics, reveal significant variations in youth unemployment rates across nations.

Topping the list is South Africa, where a staggering 62.1% of young people are currently unemployed. Following closely, Nigeria secures the second position with a youth unemployment rate of 53.4%. Spain, at 27.4%, takes the third spot, with Sweden and Serbia sharing the fourth and fifth positions, both at 24.9%.

On the other end of the spectrum, a handful of countries boast notably lower youth unemployment rates. South Korea stands out with a remarkably low rate of 6.1%, and Hong Kong follows closely at 5.5%. Japan, at 4.2%, and Kazakhstan, at 3.6%, demonstrate relatively favorable youth employment scenarios. At the forefront of the global youth employment landscape is Switzerland, where a mere 1.8% of young people are without jobs.

Here’s the comprehensive list of countries and their corresponding youth unemployment rates:

South Africa: 62.1%
Nigeria: 53.4%
Spain: 27.4%
Sweden: 24.9%
Serbia: 24.9%
Sri Lanka: 23.8%
Greece: 23.6%
Albania: 22.5%
Romania: 21.7%
Iran: 21.6%
China: 21.3%
Italy: 21.3%
Turkey: 21.6%
Luxembourg: 19.6%
Croatia: 19%
Slovakia: 18.8%
Portugal: 17.2%
France: 16.9%
Jamaica: 16.7%
Finland: 15.8%
Estonia: 15.6%
Belgium: 13.9%
Lithuania: 13.8%
Hungary: 13.3%
Taiwan: 12.03%
United Kingdom: 11.4%
Latvia: 11%
Cyprus: 10.8%
Ireland: 10.7%
New Zealand: 10.3%
Poland: 10.3%
Canada: 10.2%
Norway: 10.2%
Austria: 9.6%
Denmark: 9.3%
Netherlands: 8.3%
United States: 8%
Australia: 7.75%
Vietnam: 7.41%
Thailand: 6.5%
Germany: 6.1%
South Korea: 6.1%
Hong Kong: 5.5%
Japan: 4.2%
Kazakhstan: 3.6%
Switzerland: 1.8%
These rankings underscore the complex challenges faced by nations in addressing youth unemployment, highlighting the urgent need for targeted policies and initiatives to provide opportunities for young job seekers.