LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay
Uruguay: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 9.72 in 2025. ▼ Falling
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay, 1998–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay stood at 9.72. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.8% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay peaked at 21.9 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 9.72, in 2025.
That places Uruguay 34th out of 89 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 12.51 | — |
| 1999 | 14.8 | +18.3% |
| 2000 | 17.55 | +18.6% |
| 2001 | 18.76 | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 20.82 | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 21.9 | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 19.23 | -12.2% |
| 2005 | 17.97 | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 17.48 | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 15.48 | -11.4% |
| 2008 | 14.35 | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 13.88 | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 12.98 | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 11.46 | -11.7% |
| 2012 | 11.6 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 11.07 | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 10.74 | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 11.65 | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 11.7 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 11.79 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 12.14 | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 12.71 | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 10.4 | -18.1% |
| 2023 | 10.71 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 10.67 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 9.72 | -8.8% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 9.72 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.45, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 9.72 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.19, 1.1× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.66 | 12.51 | 14.8 | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.74 | 13.88 | 21.9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.78 | 10.74 | 12.98 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.38 | 9.72 | 10.71 | 4 |
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 lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Uruguay was 9.72 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 21.9 in 2003.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.72 in 2025.
- How does Uruguay rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Uruguay ranks 34th out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uruguay data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.