Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 3.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica, 1974–2023
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 3.9% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is down 23.5% on the previous year and down 68.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica peaked at 62.0% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2023.
That places Jamaica 137th out of 181 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 30.7% | — |
| 1975 | 29.6% | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 32.6% | +10.3% |
| 1977 | 34.7% | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 35.2% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 40.2% | +14.1% |
| 1980 | 62.0% | +54.1% |
| 1981 | 37.9% | -38.8% |
| 1982 | 39.4% | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 38.3% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 36.5% | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 56.0% | +53.3% |
| 1986 | 33.4% | -40.3% |
| 1987 | 30.3% | -9.2% |
| 1988 | 36.9% | +21.7% |
| 1989 | 25.2% | -31.7% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | -8.5% |
| 1991 | 22.8% | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 22.8% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 22.4% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 21.7% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 22.5% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 23.1% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 23.5% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 22.1% | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 22.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 22.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 21.0% | -5.7% |
| 2002 | 19.6% | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 16.7% | -14.5% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 15.8% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 14.5% | -8.5% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | -38.0% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 10.3% | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 11.2% | +9.3% |
| 2013 | 12.6% | +12.1% |
| 2014 | 11.6% | -7.3% |
| 2016 | 11.4% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | -14.7% |
| 2018 | 6.9% | -28.4% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | -8.4% |
| 2020 | 7.4% | +16.8% |
| 2021 | 6.3% | -14.8% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | -19.1% |
| 2023 | 3.9% | -23.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 3.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.7%, 51% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 3.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 7.9%, 50% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +54.1% | 40.2% | 62.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.8% | 29.6% | 40.2% | 6 |
| 1980s | 39.6% | 25.2% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.6% | 21.7% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.8% | 8.9% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.0% | 6.4% | 12.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 3.9% | 7.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More work & labour data for Jamaica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,904 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 799.47 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 544.43 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 522.35 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,067 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Jamaica was 3.9% in 2023, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 62.0% in 1980.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2023.
- How does Jamaica rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Jamaica ranks 137th out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.