Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru
Peru: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru, 1969–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru stood at 4.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.1% on the previous year and up 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru peaked at 11.8% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 2014.
That places Peru 119th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 5.9% | — |
| 1970 | 4.8% | -18.1% |
| 1971 | 4.6% | -5.5% |
| 1972 | 4.4% | -3.7% |
| 1973 | 4.2% | -3.9% |
| 1974 | 4.0% | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 4.9% | +22.8% |
| 1976 | 5.2% | +5.8% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | +11.9% |
| 1978 | 6.5% | +11.8% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | +9.5% |
| 1980 | 7.0% | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 6.8% | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 7.0% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 9.2% | +31.9% |
| 1984 | 10.5% | +14.1% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | +12.3% |
| 1986 | 5.3% | -54.9% |
| 1987 | 4.8% | -10.1% |
| 1989 | 7.9% | +65.7% |
| 1990 | 8.6% | +8.5% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | -32.6% |
| 1992 | 9.5% | +63.7% |
| 1993 | 9.9% | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 8.9% | -9.5% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | -20.8% |
| 1996 | 7.1% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | -31.7% |
| 1998 | 5.0% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 4.4% | -12.2% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +19.1% |
| 2002 | 4.8% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | -14.2% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | -14.3% |
| 2007 | 4.1% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | -9.3% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | +10.4% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 3.7% | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 7.2% | +112.5% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -29.0% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -21.5% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | +14.1% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | +6.3% |
| 2025 | 4.3% | -11.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1970s | 5.2% | 4.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.8% | 4.8% | 11.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 7.1% | 4.4% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.2% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.0% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Peru
- 117 Cyprus 4.4% compare
- 117 Hungary 4.4% compare
- 120 Sri Lanka 4.3% compare
- 121 United States of America 4.3% compare
- 122 Cayman Islands 4.2% compare
More work & labour data for Peru
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4349 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4225 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4473 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6786 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 35,667 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,953 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,027 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 19,136 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 38,163 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Peru was 4.3% 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 Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 11.8% in 1985.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 2014.
- How does Peru rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Peru ranks 119th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Peru 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.