Brunei Darussalam: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 2.21 percentage points from 6.44% in 2020. Since 1979 it is up 0.2 percentage points from 4.02% in 1979. The World Bank has no value for 29 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2025, Brunei Darussalam's unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) fell 0.07 percentage points on 2024 (from 4.29% to 4.22%).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (1980 to 2024), the average change was −0.6 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.14 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.83 percentage points in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.57 percentage points in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2017 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.52 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 71% of the movement over 9 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Brunei Darussalam had the 50th highest value of the 83 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Brunei Darussalam in the 2025 ranking

• Hong Kong SAR, China — 47th of 83: 4.39%
• United States — 48th of 83: 4.37%
• Australia — 49th of 83: 4.34%
• Germany — 51st of 83: 4.13%
• Cyprus — 52nd of 83: 3.97%
• Senegal — 53rd of 83: 3.94%

What this measures

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.

Limitations: While the unemployment rate may be considered the most informative labour market indicator, reflecting the general performance of the labour market and the economy as a whole, it should not be interpreted as a measure of economic hardship or of well-being. When based on the internationally-recommended standards, the unemployment rate simply reflects the proportion of the labour force that does not have a job but is available and actively looking for work. It says nothing about the economic resources of unemployed workers or their family members. Its use should, therefore, be limited to serving as a measurement of the utilization of labour and an indication of the failure to find work.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 18 values

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in nearby economies

• Australia — 4.34% (2025)
• Cambodia — 2.7% (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 4.39% (2025)
• Indonesia — 3.6% (2023)
• Japan — 2.7% (2025)
• Korea, Rep. — 2.83% (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 2.92% (2020)
• Malaysia — 3.8% (2022)
• Mongolia — 5.92% (2025)

More social protection & labor data for Brunei Darussalam

• Net migration — 0 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 26.39% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 42.8% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 34.94% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 59.76% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 77.93% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Brunei Darussalam's unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)?

4.22% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1979?

It is up 0.2 percentage points from 4.02% in 1979. The highest value was 8.8% in 2017 and the lowest 1.28% in 2011.

How does Brunei Darussalam rank?

50th highest of 83 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) unusual for Brunei Darussalam?

In 2025, Brunei Darussalam's unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) fell 0.07 percentage points on 2024 (from 4.29% to 4.22%). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (1980 to 2024), the average change was −0.6 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.14 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.MA.NE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: September 28, 2026 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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