Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) was 4.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) is 4.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.2% on the previous year and down 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 9.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2025.
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 21st of 24 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.4% | — |
| 1992 | 6.1% | +14.6% |
| 1993 | 5.3% | -14.0% |
| 1995 | 6.9% | +31.4% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 6.6% | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 7.1% | +8.7% |
| 1999 | 7.8% | +9.8% |
| 2001 | 7.6% | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | -16.5% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | -13.8% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 5.3% | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 6.2% | +17.3% |
| 2011 | 5.3% | -14.5% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 5.2% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 5.1% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | +7.9% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | +20.0% |
| 2017 | 6.9% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 6.9% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 9.1% | +31.7% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | -16.6% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -25.6% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -10.2% |
| 2024 | 4.7% | -6.9% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | -10.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.5% | 5.3% | 7.8% | 8 |
| 2000s | 6.6% | 5.3% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 5.1% | 6.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 6.0% | 4.2% | 9.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
More work & labour data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 69.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 39.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 56.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 57.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.6% (2025)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 4.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 9.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2025.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 21st out of 24 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.