Türkiye's unemployment rate hits record low of 7.7% in December

Türkiye's unemployment rate dropped to a historic low in December, according to official data released Thursday. The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported the rate fell to 7.7%, the lowest figure since records began in January 2005, down from 8.5% the previous month.

Key Figures on Unemployment and Employment

The data shows the number of unemployed people aged 15 and over declined by 286,000 month-on-month to stand at 2.73 million. A gender breakdown reveals a disparity, with male unemployment at 6.3% and female unemployment at 10.5%. Conversely, total employment saw a marginal decrease of 42,000 people, bringing the number of employed individuals to 32.68 million. The overall employment rate settled at 49.1%.

Labor Force Dynamics and Youth Unemployment

The size of the labor force also contracted, decreasing by 328,000 to 35.42 million, which resulted in a labor force participation rate of 53.2%. A positive development was observed in youth unemployment (ages 15-24), which fell by 1.1 percentage points to 14.1%. However, a significant gender gap persisted in this category as well, with rates of 12% for young men and 18.2% for young women.

Annual Perspective and Economic Context

For the full year of 2025, the average unemployment rate in Türkiye was approximately 8.3%. The record low monthly figure underscores the resilience of the Turkish labor market amidst global economic challenges. As Türkiye continues to implement its economic policies, monitoring these employment trends remains crucial for assessing overall economic health and social stability.