Youth NEET Rate by Country: Latest Data, Updated 2026
The ILO estimates that 20.0% of people aged 15–24 were not in employment, education or training in 2025. The country ranking uses the latest verified World Bank WDI modeled ILO values in the current country extract, mostly 2024, with the reference year shown for every row.
Youth NEET Statistics
Global estimates and country distribution statistics use separate reference scopes and are labeled accordingly.
Highest 2024 Modeled NEET Rates
The chart keeps a common 2024 reference year and excludes rows whose latest value is from an earlier year.
Twenty Highest Country Values With 2024 Data
Share of the population aged 15–24 not in employment, education or training
Afghanistan records the highest 2024 modeled value in the chart. The full table retains all 187 latest reported country values.
Chart analysis
- Afghanistan records 55.84%, the only 2024 value above 55%.
- Sao Tome and Principe and Djibouti are both close to 50%.
- Seven of the displayed 2024 values are 40% or higher.
- The twentieth value, Guinea, is 33.86%.
- The chart is a same-year visual summary; the full ranking also identifies rows with older reference years.
Youth NEET Rate by Country
Latest available modeled ILO value in the current WDI country extract. Rank follows the unrounded source values; displayed rates are rounded to two decimals.
| Rank | Country or economy | Code | NEET rate | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | AFG | 55.84% | 2024 |
| 2 | Sao Tome and Principe | STP | 50.26% | 2024 |
| 3 | Djibouti | DJI | 50.18% | 2024 |
| 4 | Sudan | SDN | 46.53% | 2022 |
| 5 | Yemen, Rep. | YEM | 45.81% | 2024 |
| 6 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | SOM | 43.80% | 2024 |
| 7 | Guyana | GUY | 42.85% | 2024 |
| 8 | Gambia, The | GMB | 39.84% | 2024 |
| 9 | Tajikistan | TJK | 39.46% | 2024 |
| 10 | Botswana | BWA | 38.00% | 2024 |
| 11 | Lesotho | LSO | 37.98% | 2024 |
| 12 | Chad | TCD | 37.54% | 2024 |
| 13 | Iraq | IRQ | 36.69% | 2024 |
| 14 | Eswatini | SWZ | 36.59% | 2024 |
| 15 | Mauritania | MRT | 36.50% | 2024 |
| 16 | Senegal | SEN | 35.17% | 2024 |
| 17 | Vanuatu | VUT | 34.62% | 2024 |
| 18 | South Africa | ZAF | 34.61% | 2024 |
| 19 | Syrian Arab Republic | SYR | 34.55% | 2024 |
| 20 | Pakistan | PAK | 34.28% | 2024 |
| 21 | South Sudan | SSD | 34.09% | 2023 |
| 22 | Guinea | GIN | 33.86% | 2024 |
| 23 | Morocco | MAR | 32.46% | 2024 |
| 24 | Sierra Leone | SLE | 30.80% | 2024 |
| 25 | Honduras | HND | 30.75% | 2024 |
| 26 | Nepal | NPL | 30.75% | 2024 |
| 27 | Libya | LBY | 30.68% | 2024 |
| 28 | Namibia | NAM | 30.60% | 2024 |
| 29 | Jordan | JOR | 30.41% | 2024 |
| 30 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | COD | 30.14% | 2024 |
| 31 | Zimbabwe | ZWE | 30.03% | 2024 |
| 32 | Samoa | WSM | 30.02% | 2024 |
| 33 | Central African Republic | CAF | 29.85% | 2024 |
| 34 | Congo, Rep. | COG | 29.29% | 2024 |
| 35 | Gabon | GAB | 29.09% | 2024 |
| 36 | Zambia | ZMB | 29.02% | 2024 |
| 37 | Timor-Leste | TLS | 28.99% | 2024 |
| 38 | Cabo Verde | CPV | 28.02% | 2024 |
| 39 | Papua New Guinea | PNG | 27.69% | 2024 |
| 40 | Ghana | GHA | 27.45% | 2024 |
| 41 | Mali | MLI | 27.12% | 2024 |
| 42 | Barbados | BRB | 26.09% | 2024 |
| 43 | Rwanda | RWA | 25.86% | 2024 |
| 44 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | IRN | 25.80% | 2024 |
| 45 | Tonga | TON | 25.70% | 2024 |
| 46 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | VCT | 25.70% | 2024 |
| 47 | Dominican Republic | DOM | 25.69% | 2024 |
| 48 | Eritrea | ERI | 25.65% | 2024 |
| 49 | Oman | OMN | 25.46% | 2024 |
| 50 | West Bank and Gaza | PSE | 25.44% | 2022 |
| 51 | Burkina Faso | BFA | 24.80% | 2024 |
| 52 | Angola | AGO | 24.74% | 2024 |
| 53 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | EGY | 24.69% | 2024 |
| 54 | Belize | BLZ | 24.64% | 2024 |
| 55 | Equatorial Guinea | GNQ | 24.61% | 2024 |
| 56 | Maldives | MDV | 24.33% | 2024 |
| 57 | Madagascar | MDG | 24.27% | 2024 |
| 58 | India | IND | 24.19% | 2024 |
| 59 | Peru | PER | 24.02% | 2024 |
| 60 | Guatemala | GTM | 23.94% | 2024 |
| 61 | Georgia | GEO | 23.89% | 2024 |
| 62 | New Caledonia | NCL | 23.83% | 2024 |
| 63 | Lebanon | LBN | 23.83% | 2023 |
| 64 | Venezuela, RB | VEN | 23.75% | 2024 |
| 65 | Albania | ALB | 23.26% | 2024 |
| 66 | Cameroon | CMR | 23.20% | 2024 |
| 67 | Colombia | COL | 23.15% | 2024 |
| 68 | Turkiye | TUR | 22.95% | 2024 |
| 69 | Tunisia | TUN | 22.78% | 2024 |
| 70 | St. Lucia | LCA | 22.63% | 2024 |
| 71 | Lao PDR | LAO | 22.52% | 2024 |
| 72 | French Polynesia | PYF | 21.89% | 2024 |
| 73 | Nicaragua | NIC | 21.88% | 2024 |
| 74 | Malawi | MWI | 21.66% | 2024 |
| 75 | El Salvador | SLV | 21.66% | 2024 |
| 76 | Indonesia | IDN | 21.44% | 2024 |
| 77 | Comoros | COM | 21.23% | 2024 |
| 78 | Haiti | HTI | 21.13% | 2024 |
| 79 | Fiji | FJI | 20.79% | 2024 |
| 80 | Puerto Rico (US) | PRI | 20.42% | 2024 |
| 81 | Armenia | ARM | 20.30% | 2024 |
| 82 | Bhutan | BTN | 20.24% | 2024 |
| 83 | Jamaica | JAM | 19.85% | 2024 |
| 84 | Algeria | DZA | 19.63% | 2024 |
| 85 | Kenya | KEN | 19.44% | 2024 |
| 86 | Kyrgyz Republic | KGZ | 19.38% | 2024 |
| 87 | Brazil | BRA | 19.31% | 2024 |
| 88 | Mozambique | MOZ | 19.23% | 2024 |
| 89 | Cote d’Ivoire | CIV | 18.98% | 2024 |
| 90 | Ecuador | ECU | 18.95% | 2024 |
| 91 | Suriname | SUR | 18.88% | 2024 |
| 92 | North Macedonia | MKD | 18.47% | 2024 |
| 93 | Costa Rica | CRI | 18.28% | 2024 |
| 94 | Montenegro | MNE | 17.62% | 2024 |
| 95 | Mauritius | MUS | 17.45% | 2024 |
| 96 | Ukraine | UKR | 17.41% | 2021 |
| 97 | Paraguay | PRY | 17.28% | 2024 |
| 98 | Sri Lanka | LKA | 17.20% | 2024 |
| 99 | Ethiopia | ETH | 17.15% | 2024 |
| 100 | Romania | ROU | 17.04% | 2024 |
| 101 | Turkmenistan | TKM | 16.82% | 2024 |
| 102 | Brunei Darussalam | BRN | 16.60% | 2024 |
| 103 | Argentina | ARG | 16.32% | 2024 |
| 104 | Myanmar | MMR | 16.23% | 2024 |
| 105 | Saudi Arabia | SAU | 16.16% | 2024 |
| 106 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | BIH | 16.11% | 2024 |
| 107 | Virgin Islands (U.S.) | VIR | 16.08% | 2024 |
| 108 | Niger | NER | 15.98% | 2024 |
| 109 | Mexico | MEX | 15.89% | 2024 |
| 110 | Kuwait | KWT | 15.47% | 2024 |
| 111 | Bangladesh | BGD | 15.43% | 2024 |
| 112 | Israel | ISR | 15.27% | 2024 |
| 113 | Uruguay | URY | 15.05% | 2024 |
| 114 | Lithuania | LTU | 14.91% | 2024 |
| 115 | Panama | PAN | 14.70% | 2024 |
| 116 | Mongolia | MNG | 14.69% | 2024 |
| 117 | Liberia | LBR | 14.68% | 2024 |
| 118 | Bahamas, The | BHS | 14.58% | 2024 |
| 119 | Trinidad and Tobago | TTO | 14.52% | 2024 |
| 120 | Benin | BEN | 14.31% | 2024 |
| 121 | United Kingdom | GBR | 14.30% | 2024 |
| 122 | Chile | CHL | 13.76% | 2024 |
| 123 | Uzbekistan | UZB | 13.54% | 2024 |
| 124 | Nigeria | NGA | 13.47% | 2024 |
| 125 | Guinea-Bissau | GNB | 13.44% | 2024 |
| 126 | Uganda | UGA | 13.30% | 2024 |
| 127 | Austria | AUT | 13.13% | 2024 |
| 128 | Togo | TGO | 13.08% | 2024 |
| 129 | Canada | CAN | 12.99% | 2024 |
| 130 | Thailand | THA | 12.82% | 2024 |
| 131 | Burundi | BDI | 12.82% | 2024 |
| 132 | New Zealand | NZL | 12.75% | 2024 |
| 133 | Serbia | SRB | 12.60% | 2024 |
| 134 | France | FRA | 12.57% | 2024 |
| 135 | Philippines | PHL | 12.55% | 2024 |
| 136 | Italy | ITA | 11.96% | 2024 |
| 137 | Guam | GUM | 11.85% | 2024 |
| 138 | Russian Federation | RUS | 11.74% | 2024 |
| 139 | Cuba | CUB | 11.60% | 2024 |
| 140 | United States | USA | 11.60% | 2024 |
| 141 | Moldova | MDA | 11.49% | 2024 |
| 142 | Tanzania | TZA | 11.10% | 2024 |
| 143 | Korea, Rep. | KOR | 11.04% | 2024 |
| 144 | Cambodia | KHM | 11.02% | 2024 |
| 145 | China | CHN | 10.85% | 2024 |
| 146 | Viet Nam | VNM | 10.85% | 2024 |
| 147 | Cyprus | CYP | 10.64% | 2024 |
| 148 | Poland | POL | 10.54% | 2024 |
| 149 | Bulgaria | BGR | 10.50% | 2024 |
| 150 | Greece | GRC | 10.43% | 2024 |
| 151 | Estonia | EST | 10.23% | 2024 |
| 152 | Bahrain | BHR | 10.21% | 2024 |
| 153 | Malaysia | MYS | 10.20% | 2024 |
| 154 | Spain | ESP | 10.12% | 2024 |
| 155 | Hungary | HUN | 9.98% | 2024 |
| 156 | Korea, Dem. People’s Rep. | PRK | 9.52% | 2024 |
| 157 | Luxembourg | LUX | 9.46% | 2024 |
| 158 | Latvia | LVA | 9.00% | 2024 |
| 159 | United Arab Emirates | ARE | 8.93% | 2024 |
| 160 | Slovak Republic | SVK | 8.75% | 2024 |
| 161 | Australia | AUS | 8.53% | 2024 |
| 162 | Solomon Islands | SLB | 8.26% | 2024 |
| 163 | Finland | FIN | 8.17% | 2024 |
| 164 | Channel Islands | CHI | 8.09% | 2024 |
| 165 | Croatia | HRV | 8.03% | 2024 |
| 166 | Bolivia | BOL | 8.02% | 2024 |
| 167 | Kazakhstan | KAZ | 7.78% | 2024 |
| 168 | Switzerland | CHE | 7.77% | 2024 |
| 169 | Portugal | PRT | 7.76% | 2024 |
| 170 | Malta | MLT | 7.63% | 2024 |
| 171 | Germany | DEU | 7.45% | 2024 |
| 172 | Belgium | BEL | 7.34% | 2024 |
| 173 | Slovenia | SVN | 7.13% | 2024 |
| 174 | Denmark | DNK | 6.85% | 2024 |
| 175 | Belarus | BLR | 6.12% | 2024 |
| 176 | Singapore | SGP | 6.01% | 2024 |
| 177 | Norway | NOR | 5.99% | 2024 |
| 178 | Ireland | IRL | 5.76% | 2024 |
| 179 | Hong Kong SAR, China | HKG | 5.67% | 2024 |
| 180 | Qatar | QAT | 5.57% | 2024 |
| 181 | Sweden | SWE | 5.51% | 2024 |
| 182 | Czechia | CZE | 4.62% | 2024 |
| 183 | Iceland | ISL | 3.98% | 2024 |
| 184 | Macao SAR, China | MAC | 3.66% | 2024 |
| 185 | Netherlands | NLD | 3.58% | 2024 |
| 186 | Azerbaijan | AZE | 3.24% | 2024 |
| 187 | Japan | JPN | 3.04% | 2024 |
Table analysis
- The table contains 187 countries and economies with a latest value.
- Afghanistan has the highest latest value at 55.84% for 2024.
- Japan has the lowest latest value at 3.04% for 2024.
- The top-to-lowest spread is 52.80 percentage points.
- The unweighted median is 17.62%; the unweighted mean is 19.68%.
- Most rows use 2024 values.
- Sudan and West Bank and Gaza use 2022 values.
- South Sudan and Lebanon use 2023 values; Ukraine uses 2021.
- Mixed reference years make the table a latest-value ranking rather than a strict single-year ranking.
- Modeled estimates support cross-country comparison but remain estimates rather than direct observations for every country-year.
Distribution of Latest Country Values
Counts use the 187 values in the full table and fixed rate bands.
Countries and Economies by NEET Rate Band
Unweighted distribution of latest available modeled estimates
The largest band is 12.5%–19.9%, followed closely by 20.0%–29.9%.
| Rate band | Count | Share of rows |
|---|---|---|
| Under 7.5% | 17 | 9.1% |
| 7.5%–12.4% | 35 | 18.7% |
| 12.5%–19.9% | 53 | 28.3% |
| 20.0%–29.9% | 50 | 26.7% |
| 30.0%–39.9% | 25 | 13.4% |
| 40.0% and above | 7 | 3.7% |
Data analysis
- 53 country values, or 28.3%, fall between 12.5% and 19.9%.
- 50 values, or 26.7%, fall between 20.0% and 29.9%.
- 32 values are 30% or higher.
- 17 values are below 7.5%.
- These shares describe the listed countries equally; they are not population-weighted global estimates.
Selected Country Trends, 2015–2024
Ten annual observations illustrate different paths within the modeled series. The selection is not a regional average.
Annual NEET Rate Paths for Six Countries
Modeled ILO estimates, percent of youth aged 15–24
The selected series show declines, increases and a marked 2020 break without assigning causes to the movements.
| Country | 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | 2015–2024 change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 41.9% | 53.8% | 55.8% | +13.9 pp |
| Bangladesh | 29.1% | 20.2% | 15.4% | -13.7 pp |
| Botswana | 32.9% | 37.1% | 38.0% | +5.1 pp |
| Brazil | 22.1% | 26.0% | 19.3% | -2.8 pp |
| Bulgaria | 18.5% | 14.7% | 10.5% | -8.0 pp |
| Croatia | 18.0% | 12.1% | 8.0% | -10.0 pp |
Trend analysis
- Bangladesh declines by 13.7 percentage points between 2015 and 2024.
- Croatia declines by 10.0 points and Bulgaria by 8.0 points.
- Afghanistan rises by 13.9 points, with the largest jump occurring in 2020.
- Botswana rises by 5.1 points across the period.
- Brazil ends 2.8 points below its 2015 value after reaching 26.0% in 2020.
- Movements describe the modeled series and do not establish why rates changed.
Female and Male Youth NEET Rates
Selected 2024 countries illustrate wide female–male differences. The gap equals the female rate minus the male rate.
Selected Female–Male NEET Rate Gaps
Percent of the corresponding female or male population aged 15–24
The country total is not the simple average of the female and male rates because population weights differ.
| Country | Female rate | Male rate | Female–male gap | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 83.99% | 28.96% | 55.03 pp | 2024 |
| Yemen, Rep. | 68.41% | 24.11% | 44.30 pp | 2024 |
| Pakistan | 56.43% | 13.20% | 43.23 pp | 2024 |
| Morocco | 51.31% | 14.51% | 36.80 pp | 2024 |
| Guatemala | 40.32% | 7.89% | 32.43 pp | 2024 |
| Iraq | 53.13% | 20.97% | 32.16 pp | 2024 |
| India | 39.36% | 10.41% | 28.95 pp | 2024 |
| Tajikistan | 53.15% | 25.09% | 28.06 pp | 2024 |
| Honduras | 44.96% | 17.16% | 27.80 pp | 2024 |
| Mali | 39.84% | 14.73% | 25.11 pp | 2024 |
| Mauritania | 48.33% | 24.46% | 23.87 pp | 2024 |
| Chad | 49.15% | 26.15% | 23.00 pp | 2024 |
| Nepal | 41.53% | 19.65% | 21.88 pp | 2024 |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | 35.50% | 14.34% | 21.16 pp | 2024 |
| Senegal | 43.94% | 26.81% | 17.13 pp | 2024 |
Data analysis
- Afghanistan has an 83.99% female rate and 28.96% male rate, a gap of 55.03 points.
- Yemen and Pakistan have gaps above 40 points in the selected set.
- Morocco has a 36.80-point gap; Guatemala and Iraq exceed 32 points.
- The global female–male gap reported by the ILO for 2025 is 14.4 points.
- The selected countries illustrate wide gaps and do not form a complete gender-gap ranking.
What the NEET Indicator Measures
NEET combines employment and education status in one population-based rate.
Indicator definition
A young person is counted as NEET when not employed and not participating in education or training during the applicable reference period. The denominator is the full population aged 15–24.
Not the youth unemployment rate
Youth unemployment uses the youth labor force as its denominator and excludes inactive people. NEET includes inactive youth when they are also outside education and training.
Rates and headcounts answer different questions
A high percentage in a small country may represent fewer people than a lower percentage in a populous country. Country rates should not be used as a ranking of total affected youth.
Age ranges must match
The SDG and ILO series used here covers ages 15–24. Eurostat and OECD products may use 15–29 or 18–24, so their values should remain in separate comparisons.
| Measure | Denominator | Inactive youth | Youth in education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth NEET rate | All youth aged 15–24 | Included when outside education and training | Excluded from NEET |
| Youth unemployment rate | Youth labor force | Excluded | May be in the labor force if seeking and available for work |
Table analysis
- The two rates use different denominators and cannot be substituted for one another.
- A country may record a moderate unemployment rate alongside a higher NEET rate when many youth are inactive and outside education.
- Education participation can keep a non-employed young person outside the NEET category.
Source and Methodology
World Bank WDI: total modeled ILO estimate
World Bank WDI: female modeled ILO estimate
World Bank WDI: male modeled ILO estimate
ILO Employment and Social Trends 2026
ILOSTAT Youth NEET Rate
ILO modelled estimates methodology
UN SDG 8.6.1 metadata
Percent of the population aged 15–24
187 countries and economies with a latest value
Mostly 2024; older values remain labeled in the table
Countries without a value in the selected extract are not ranked
Country values display two decimals; trend values display one decimal
The country table uses World Bank indicator SL.UEM.NEET.ME.ZS, sourced from the ILO Modelled Estimates database. The ILO model produces comparable annual estimates and fills country-year gaps using statistical methods. The unweighted mean, median, distribution bands and female–male gaps are page-level calculations from the displayed values. Percentage-point change is used for differences between rates. The 2026 label marks the publication update; it does not imply that every country row is a 2026 observation.
The full ranking orders each country or economy by its latest available modeled value, so it is not a strict 2025 cross-section. Cross-source comparisons require the same age range, reference year, sex category and labor-statistics standard. A NEET rate describes status prevalence and does not identify causes, education quality or the duration of disengagement.