Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay
Uruguay: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 57.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay, 1963–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Uruguay recorded 57.2% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2024. That is the highest value across all 38 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay peaked at 57.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 27.1%, in 1963.
That places Uruguay 81st out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 27.1% | — |
| 1975 | 29.3% | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 40.9% | +39.4% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | -20.5% |
| 1990 | 37.9% | +16.5% |
| 1991 | 43.8% | +15.6% |
| 1992 | 45.0% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 44.0% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 45.5% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 46.7% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 47.1% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 49.6% | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 48.8% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 49.3% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 51.6% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 50.0% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 49.7% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 49.4% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 51.9% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 53.8% | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 54.7% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 55.4% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 55.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 56.9% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 56.6% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 55.4% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 56.9% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 56.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 56.4% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 56.1% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 56.0% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 56.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 54.2% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 56.0% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 55.7% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 56.5% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 57.2% | +1.3% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 57.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 100% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 57.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 53.7%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +39.4% | 29.3% | 40.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.1% | 27.1% | 27.1% | 1 |
| 1970s | 29.3% | 29.3% | 29.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 36.7% | 32.5% | 40.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 45.4% | 37.9% | 49.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 51.6% | 49.3% | 55.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.2% | 55.1% | 56.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.9% | 54.2% | 57.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More work & labour data for Uruguay
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.03 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0269 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,567 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 95.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,144 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,102 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 2,246 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Uruguay was 57.2% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 57.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.1% in 1963.
- How does Uruguay rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Uruguay ranks 81st out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.