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Unemployment

How many people who want a job don't have one. Share of the labour force without a job.

  • Euro area
  • Portugal
4%6%8%10%12%20182020202220242026Euro area 6.4%Portugal 5.7%
Show the numbers
Euro area
Aug 20266.4%
Jul 20266.4%
Jun 20266.4%
May 20266.4%
Apr 20266.4%
Mar 20266.4%
Feb 20266.4%
Jan 20266.3%
Dec 20256.3%
Nov 20256.3%
Oct 20256.3%
Sep 20256.3%
Portugal
Aug 20265.7%
Jul 20265.7%
Jun 20265.7%
May 20265.6%
Apr 20265.7%
Mar 20265.9%
Feb 20266.0%
Jan 20265.8%
Dec 20255.7%
Nov 20255.7%
Oct 20255.8%
Sep 20255.9%

What it is

The unemployment rate counts people who have no job, are available to work and are actively looking, as a share of everyone working or looking. Students and retirees who aren't looking are not counted.

Why it matters

Jobs drive spending, and spending drives most of the economy. A rising rate is often an early sign of a slowdown; a very low rate can push wages, and then prices, up.

What moves it

The business cycle, population and migration, and changes in how many people choose to work. It tends to move slowly and turn late.

Where the numbers come from

Eurostat. Updated automatically every day; official figures are sometimes revised after first release. All sources and their terms.