Share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay
Uruguay: Share of workers in informal employment was 28.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay, 2006–2024
Source: International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Uruguay recorded 28.5% for share of workers in informal employment in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.1% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay peaked at 44.4% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 21.4%, in 2021.
Uruguay ranks 43rd of 82 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % | 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 2.4%, 11.9× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 28.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 56.0%, 51% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of workers in informal employment 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +43.5% | 22.1% | 31.8% |
| 2014 | -33.2% | 35.4% | 23.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
- 40 Costa Rica 36.1% compare
- 41 Brazil 35.6% compare
- 42 South Africa 34.8% compare
- 44 Saint Lucia 28.3% compare
- 45 Turkey 27.7% compare
- 46 Mongolia 27.1% compare
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 share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay?
- Share of workers in informal employment in Uruguay was 28.5% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in informal employment recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2006.
- What is the lowest share of workers in informal employment recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.4% in 2021.
- How does Uruguay rank for share of workers in informal employment?
- Uruguay ranks 43rd out of 82 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of workers in informal employment 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 International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in informal employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed people working in jobs that lack basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Does not include illegal and illicit activities. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.