Employment rate in Guyana
Guyana: Employment rate was 48.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
48.4%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
149th
of 186 countries
All-time high
53.1%
in 1993
All-time low
43.0%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Guyana, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Guyana recorded 48.4% for employment rate in 2025.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Guyana peaked at 53.1% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 43.0%, in 2020.
Guyana ranks 149th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Guyana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.4% | — |
| 1992 | 52.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 52.8% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 52.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 52.1% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 51.7% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 51.3% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 50.9% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 50.4% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 50.1% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 49.9% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 50.1% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 50.5% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 50.4% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 50.1% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 49.8% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 49.7% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 49.4% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 48.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 48.5% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 48.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 48.1% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 45.2% | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 43.0% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 43.7% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 47.6% | +8.8% |
| 2023 | 48.2% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 48.6% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 48.4% | -0.4% |
Guyana compared with similar countries
- Guyana's 48.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 58.9%, 82% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Guyana's 48.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 58.1%, 83% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 52.2% | 50.9% | 53.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 50.2% | 49.6% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.5% | 45.2% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.6% | 43.0% | 48.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guyana
More work & labour data for Guyana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4095 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3957 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4228 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9077 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9156 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 295.49 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 526.41 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 455.78 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 433.17 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 888.95 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Guyana?
- Employment rate in Guyana was 48.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Guyana?
- The highest recorded value was 53.1% in 1993.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Guyana?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.0% in 2020.
- How does Guyana rank for employment rate?
- Guyana ranks 149th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Guyana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guyana data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.