Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador
Ecuador: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador, 1974–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Ecuador recorded 3.2% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador peaked at 14.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 2013.
That places Ecuador 144th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 4.4% | — |
| 1975 | 5.3% | +20.5% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | +9.4% |
| 1987 | 7.2% | +24.8% |
| 1988 | 7.0% | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 7.9% | +12.4% |
| 1990 | 5.9% | -25.2% |
| 1991 | 8.2% | +39.2% |
| 1992 | 8.6% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 7.9% | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -16.0% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | +54.8% |
| 1997 | 9.2% | -11.6% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +25.3% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | +21.5% |
| 2000 | 4.8% | -65.6% |
| 2001 | 4.3% | -11.4% |
| 2002 | 7.2% | +68.6% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | -21.0% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -11.7% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | -24.5% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | +24.7% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +17.6% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -15.4% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +28.4% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | -15.5% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -8.4% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | +64.3% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -27.1% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -17.2% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | -5.7% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 3.2% | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.2% | 4.4% | 5.8% | 3 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 3 |
| 1990s | 8.9% | 5.9% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.1% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 2.9% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.2% | 6.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More work & labour data for Ecuador
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.578 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.567 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.589 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 17,174 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,794 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,543 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,549 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 19,092 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador was 3.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 14.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 2013.
- How does Ecuador rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Ecuador ranks 144th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ecuador 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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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.