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

Guatemala: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 1.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.9%
Change on year
down 18.8%
World rank
170th
of 187 countries
All-time high
5.1%
in 1980
All-time low
1.9%
in 2006
Years of data
25
1980–2024

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala, 1980–2024

02461980200220241980: 5.11981: 2.21982: 2.31987: 3.51989: 1.91990: 3.62000: 1.92002: 2.32003: 2.82004: 32006: 1.92010: 3.52011: 4.12012: 2.82013: 32014: 2.72015: 2.52016: 2.62017: 2.52018: 2.32019: 2.22021: 2.22022: 3.12023: 2.32024: 1.9

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala is 1.9%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 18.8% on the previous year and down 30.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala peaked at 5.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2006.

Guatemala ranks 170th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Guatemala, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 5.1%
1981 2.2% -57.4%
1982 2.3% +5.5%
1987 3.5% +53.8%
1989 1.9% -44.5%
1990 3.6% +86.3%
2000 1.9% -47.1%
2002 2.3% +17.9%
2003 2.8% +24.5%
2004 3.0% +5.8%
2006 1.9% -36.0%
2010 3.5% +83.9%
2011 4.1% +18.0%
2012 2.8% -33.0%
2013 3.0% +9.1%
2014 2.7% -9.9%
2015 2.5% -7.8%
2016 2.6% +3.1%
2017 2.5% -4.7%
2018 2.3% -7.3%
2019 2.2% -3.9%
2021 2.2% -0.9%
2022 3.1% +40.3%
2023 2.3% -23.2%
2024 1.9% -18.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 3.0% 1.9% 5.1% 5
1990s 3.6% 3.6% 3.6% 1
2000s 2.4% 1.9% 3.0% 5
2010s 2.8% 2.2% 4.1% 10
2020s 2.4% 1.9% 3.1% 4

Countries ranked near Guatemala

  1. 167 Russian Federation 2.1% compare
  2. 168 Palau 2.1% compare
  3. 169 Togo 2.0% compare
  4. 171 United Arab Emirates 1.9% compare
  5. 172 Cuba 1.7% compare
  6. 173 Benin 1.7% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Guatemala

All data for Guatemala →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala was 1.9% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Guatemala?
The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1980.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Guatemala?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2006.
How does Guatemala rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Guatemala ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Guatemala?
Over the last ten years it is down 30.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Guatemala 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/guatemala/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/guatemala/">Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala</a> — Statizoid

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.