Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize

Belize: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 9.1% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
9.1%
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
40th
of 187 countries
All-time high
14.3%
in 1998
All-time low
6.6%
in 2017
Years of data
21
1993–2019

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize, 1993–2019

0510151993200620191993: 9.81994: 11.11995: 12.51996: 13.81997: 12.71998: 14.31999: 12.82001: 9.12002: 102005: 10.92006: 9.42007: 8.52008: 8.22012: 14.32013: 8.32014: 8.22015: 7.62016: 72017: 6.62018: 9.32019: 9.1

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize is 9.1%, measured in 2019.

That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize peaked at 14.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 6.6%, in 2017.

Belize ranks 40th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Belize, 1993 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1993 9.8%
1994 11.1% +13.4%
1995 12.5% +12.5%
1996 13.8% +10.7%
1997 12.7% -8.3%
1998 14.3% +12.9%
1999 12.8% -10.3%
2001 9.1% -29.4%
2002 10.0% +10.7%
2005 10.9% +8.7%
2006 9.4% -13.9%
2007 8.5% -9.4%
2008 8.2% -3.8%
2012 14.3% +74.4%
2013 8.3% -41.5%
2014 8.2% -1.3%
2015 7.6% -8.1%
2016 7.0% -7.6%
2017 6.6% -5.8%
2018 9.3% +41.7%
2019 9.1% -3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 12.4% 9.8% 14.3% 7
2000s 9.3% 8.2% 10.9% 6
2010s 8.8% 6.6% 14.3% 8

Countries ranked near Belize

  1. 37 Finland 9.7% compare
  2. 38 American Samoa 9.2% compare
  3. 39 Greenland 9.1% compare
  4. 41 Bermuda 9.0% compare
  5. 42 Aruba 8.9% compare
  6. 43 Chile 8.9% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Belize

All data for Belize →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize was 9.1% in 2019, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Belize?
The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 1998.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Belize?
The lowest recorded value was 6.6% in 2017.
How does Belize rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Belize ranks 40th out of 187 countries with data for 2019.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Belize?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Belize data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/belize/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 6,054 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.