Labor force participation rate in Belize
Belize: Labor force participation rate was 59.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Belize, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Belize is 59.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Belize peaked at 69.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 54.7%, in 2020.
That places Belize 111th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Belize, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 55.4% | — |
| 1991 | 55.7% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 56.0% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 56.1% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 56.1% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 57.0% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 58.0% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 58.9% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 58.7% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 59.5% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 59.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 60.0% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 60.3% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 60.5% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 60.7% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 61.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 61.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 61.5% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 61.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 62.2% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 62.4% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 62.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 63.5% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 63.9% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 64.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 64.0% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 67.3% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 69.7% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | -21.6% |
| 2021 | 60.4% | +10.4% |
| 2022 | 58.3% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 57.6% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 56.9% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 59.1% | +4.0% |
Belize compared with similar countries
- Belize's 59.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 98% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Belize's 59.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 63.1%, 94% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.1% | 55.4% | 59.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.6% | 59.5% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.2% | 61.9% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.8% | 54.7% | 60.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belize
More work & labour data for Belize
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7058 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6517 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7615 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 338.14 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 254.28 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 219.33 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 228.04 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 447.37 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Belize?
- Labor force participation rate in Belize was 59.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Belize?
- The highest recorded value was 69.7% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Belize?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.7% in 2020.
- How does Belize rank for labor force participation rate?
- Belize ranks 111th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Belize?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belize data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).