Unemployment rate in Paraguay
Paraguay: Unemployment rate was 4.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Paraguay, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Paraguay stood at 4.8%.
That represents a change of down 15.5% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Paraguay peaked at 9.4% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 1995.
That places Paraguay 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Paraguay, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.0% | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 5.1% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | -12.8% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | -22.9% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | +139.7% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | -34.2% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | -17.6% |
| 1999 | 5.3% | +21.0% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | +42.4% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -18.4% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | +51.4% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -27.5% |
| 2004 | 6.5% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | -25.9% |
| 2006 | 5.3% | +9.4% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | -10.7% |
| 2008 | 4.4% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +23.7% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | -16.3% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -12.5% |
| 2013 | 4.4% | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | +14.8% |
| 2015 | 4.6% | -9.5% |
| 2016 | 5.3% | +15.3% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | +16.8% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | +14.5% |
| 2021 | 7.3% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 5.8% | -14.2% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 4.8% | -15.5% |
Paraguay compared with similar countries
- Paraguay's 4.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 85% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Paraguay's 4.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.0%, 80% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Paraguay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +139.7% | 3.4% | 8.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 3.4% | 8.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.1% | 4.4% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 4.1% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.3% | 4.8% | 7.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Paraguay
- 102 Cyprus 4.9% compare
- 103 Honduras 4.9% compare
- 104 Switzerland 4.9% compare
- 106 Kazakhstan 4.8% compare
- 107 United Kingdom 4.7% compare
- 108 Norway 4.6% compare
More work & labour data for Paraguay
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.23 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2175 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2425 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9753 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,607 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,290 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,534 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,048 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Paraguay?
- Unemployment rate in Paraguay was 4.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Paraguay?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Paraguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 1995.
- How does Paraguay rank for unemployment rate?
- Paraguay ranks 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Paraguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Paraguay data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.