Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Uruguay

Uruguay: Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS was 28.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
28.5%
Change on year
down 10.1%
World rank
48th
of 92 countries
All-time high
44.4%
in 2006
All-time low
21.4%
in 2021
Years of data
19
2006–2024

Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Uruguay, 2006–2024

0102030402006201520242006: 44.42007: 442008: 42.82009: 42.42010: 40.92011: 38.42012: 36.22013: 35.42014: 23.62015: 23.92016: 24.52017: 24.12018: 23.92019: 24.12020: 21.62021: 21.42022: 22.12023: 31.82024: 28.5

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Uruguay recorded 28.5% for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in 2024.

The figure is down 10.1% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Uruguay peaked at 44.4% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 21.4%, in 2021.

That places Uruguay 48th out of 92 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Uruguay, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS (%) in Uruguay, 2006 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2006 44.4%
2007 44.0% -0.7%
2008 42.8% -2.9%
2009 42.4% -1.0%
2010 40.9% -3.4%
2011 38.4% -6.2%
2012 36.2% -5.6%
2013 35.4% -2.3%
2014 23.6% -33.2%
2015 23.9% +1.1%
2016 24.5% +2.8%
2017 24.1% -1.8%
2018 23.9% -0.7%
2019 24.1% +0.9%
2020 21.6% -10.5%
2021 21.4% -0.8%
2022 22.1% +3.4%
2023 31.8% +43.5%
2024 28.5% -10.1%

Uruguay compared with similar countries

  • Uruguay's 28.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.3%, 12.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Uruguay's 28.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 55.4%, 52% of the median. (18 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS 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.

YearChange FromTo
2023 +43.5% 22.1% 31.8%
2014 -33.2% 35.4% 23.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 43.4% 42.4% 44.4% 4
2010s 29.5% 23.6% 40.9% 10
2020s 25.1% 21.4% 31.8% 5

Countries ranked near Uruguay

  1. 45 Brazil 35.6% compare
  2. 46 Polynesia 35.5% compare
  3. 47 South Africa 34.8% compare
  4. 49 Saint Lucia 28.3% compare
  5. 50 Türkiye 27.7% compare
  6. 50 Türkiye 27.7% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More work & labour data for Uruguay

All data for Uruguay →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Uruguay?
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Uruguay was 28.5% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in Uruguay?
The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2006.
What is the lowest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in Uruguay?
The lowest recorded value was 21.4% in 2021.
How does Uruguay rank for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls?
Uruguay ranks 48th out of 92 countries with data for 2024.
Is proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls rising or falling in Uruguay?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Uruguay data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Uruguay. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-informal-employment-by-sector-and-sex-13th-icls-percent/uruguay/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
128 places, 2,151 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed