Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total 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, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) is 5.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and down 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 11.4% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 2024.
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 16th of 33 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.8% | — |
| 1992 | 7.6% | +11.8% |
| 1995 | 8.7% | +13.4% |
| 1996 | 9.6% | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 9.5% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 10.3% | +9.3% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 9.0% | -21.0% |
| 2002 | 9.5% | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 9.6% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 8.3% | -12.7% |
| 2005 | 8.3% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | -13.6% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | -8.8% |
| 2009 | 7.6% | +14.6% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | +8.7% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | +18.3% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 8.0% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 10.3% | +27.2% |
| 2021 | 9.2% | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -25.9% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | -12.1% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | -13.9% |
| 2025 | 5.2% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.1% | 6.8% | 11.4% | 7 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 6.6% | 9.6% | 9 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 5.9% | 8.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 5.2% | 10.3% | 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, female (% of female population ages) 51.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 39.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 56.0% (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)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 69.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 68.9% (2025)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 5.2% 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 Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 2024.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 16th out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. 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, 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.