{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"za-youth-unemployment-rate","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-youth-unemployment-rate","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-youth-unemployment-rate/","title":"South Africa Youth Unemployment Rate (2025)","description":"South Africa's Youth Unemployment Rate: 59.9 % of labor force ages 15–24 in 2025, -0.3pp YoY. World Bank (SL.UEM.1524.ZS), 1991–2025.","domain":"labor","category":"Labour & Employment","keywords":["Labour & Employment","World Bank","South Africa","2025"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"South Africa","temporal_coverage":"1991/2025","unit":"% of labor force ages 15–24","last_updated":"2026-07-25","last_updated_text":"25 July 2026","data_as_of":"2025","variable_measured":"South Africa Youth Unemployment Rate","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS?locations=ZA"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1991–2025"},{"label":"Observations","value":"35"},{"label":"Geography","value":"South Africa"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"25 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"South Africa (2025)","value":"59.9","unit":"% of labor force ages 15–24","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-0.3pp YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"-0.3pp","unit":"percentage points"},{"label":"Trend","value":"down","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"35","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"South Africa Youth Unemployment Rate"}],"observation_count":35,"observations":[{"period":"1991","value":43.491},{"period":"1992","value":44.065},{"period":"1993","value":44.322},{"period":"1994","value":43.892},{"period":"1995","value":42.81},{"period":"1996","value":42.142},{"period":"1997","value":42.093},{"period":"1998","value":42.637},{"period":"1999","value":43.108},{"period":"2000","value":43.185},{"period":"2001","value":43.21},{"period":"2002","value":43.35},{"period":"2003","value":43.796},{"period":"2004","value":43.863},{"period":"2005","value":43.93},{"period":"2006","value":43.868},{"period":"2007","value":44.044},{"period":"2008","value":44.577},{"period":"2009","value":47.473},{"period":"2010","value":50.451},{"period":"2011","value":49.745},{"period":"2012","value":51.322},{"period":"2013","value":51.205},{"period":"2014","value":51.194},{"period":"2015","value":50.115},{"period":"2016","value":53.452},{"period":"2017","value":53.396},{"period":"2018","value":53.634},{"period":"2019","value":57.317},{"period":"2020","value":59.607},{"period":"2021","value":65.451},{"period":"2022","value":61.676},{"period":"2023","value":60.259},{"period":"2024","value":60.248},{"period":"2025","value":59.93}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"% of labor force ages 15–24"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2025","value":"59.9","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"year":"2024","value":"60.2","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2023","value":"60.3","yoyChange":"-1.4pp"},{"year":"2022","value":"61.7","yoyChange":"-3.8pp"},{"year":"2021","value":"65.5","yoyChange":"+5.9pp"},{"year":"2020","value":"59.6","yoyChange":"+2.3pp"},{"year":"2019","value":"57.3","yoyChange":"+3.7pp"},{"year":"2018","value":"53.6","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2017","value":"53.4","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2016","value":"53.5","yoyChange":"+3.4pp"},{"year":"2015","value":"50.1","yoyChange":"-1.1pp"},{"year":"2014","value":"51.2","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2013","value":"51.2","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2012","value":"51.3","yoyChange":"+1.6pp"},{"year":"2011","value":"49.7","yoyChange":"-0.8pp"},{"year":"2010","value":"50.5","yoyChange":"+3.0pp"},{"year":"2009","value":"47.5","yoyChange":"+2.9pp"},{"year":"2008","value":"44.6","yoyChange":"+0.6pp"},{"year":"2007","value":"44.0","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2006","value":"43.9","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks the share of 15–24 year-olds in the labor force who are unemployed in South Africa from 2000 to present. Compare to the total adult unemployment rate. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2025. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1991–2025 (35 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 65.5 % of labor force ages 15–24 in 2021 and reached its lowest recorded value of 42.1 in 1997. The latest reading of 59.9 in 2025 represents a change of -0.3pp."}]}