Labor force participation rate in Guatemala
Guatemala: Labor force participation rate was 59.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Guatemala, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Guatemala stood at 59.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Guatemala peaked at 67.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 58.8%, in 2020.
That places Guatemala 107th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.3% | — |
| 1991 | 66.4% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 66.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 66.6% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 66.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 66.8% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 66.8% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 66.9% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 66.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 67.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 67.8% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 63.1% | -6.9% |
| 2005 | 62.7% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 62.2% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 61.8% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 61.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 60.9% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 60.5% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 61.4% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 60.2% | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 60.7% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 60.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 60.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 60.9% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 60.5% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 59.2% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 58.8% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | +7.1% |
| 2022 | 60.2% | -4.3% |
| 2023 | 59.6% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 59.7% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 59.6% | -0.1% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 59.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 99% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 59.6% 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 | 66.6% | 66.3% | 66.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.1% | 60.9% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.0% | 59.2% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.1% | 58.8% | 62.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More work & labour data for Guatemala
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3404 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3121 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3683 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6261 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.73 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 18,121 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,847 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 13,041 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 12,871 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 25,912 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Guatemala?
- Labor force participation rate in Guatemala was 59.6% 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 67.8% in 2003.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.8% in 2020.
- How does Guatemala rank for labor force participation rate?
- Guatemala ranks 107th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).