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

Uruguay: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 8.2% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
8.2%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
53rd
of 187 countries
All-time high
16.7%
in 2003
All-time low
6.3%
in 2011
Years of data
48
1970–2024

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Uruguay, 1970–2024

051015197019972024

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Uruguay is 8.2%, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 25.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Uruguay peaked at 16.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2011.

Uruguay ranks 53rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Uruguay, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 7.5%
1971 7.6% +1.3%
1972 7.7% +1.3%
1973 8.9% +15.6%
1974 8.1% -9.0%
1980 7.3% -9.9%
1981 6.6% -9.6%
1982 11.7% +77.3%
1984 13.5% +15.2%
1986 10.7% -20.8%
1987 8.6% -19.8%
1988 8.3% -2.7%
1989 8.0% -4.1%
1990 8.5% +6.6%
1991 9.0% +5.2%
1992 9.0% +0.0%
1993 8.3% -6.8%
1994 9.2% +10.0%
1995 10.2% +11.4%
1996 11.9% +16.5%
1997 11.4% -4.0%
1998 9.4% -18.2%
1999 10.5% +11.8%
2000 12.6% +20.6%
2001 15.1% +19.2%
2002 16.6% +10.6%
2003 16.7% +0.1%
2004 13.0% -22.1%
2005 12.0% -7.5%
2006 10.8% -9.7%
2007 9.4% -13.3%
2008 8.0% -14.7%
2009 7.7% -3.6%
2010 7.2% -7.5%
2011 6.3% -11.9%
2012 6.5% +2.3%
2013 6.4% -0.1%
2014 6.5% +1.6%
2015 7.5% +14.4%
2016 7.8% +4.7%
2017 7.9% +0.6%
2018 8.3% +5.7%
2019 8.8% +6.0%
2020 10.4% +17.8%
2021 9.3% -10.4%
2022 7.9% -15.6%
2023 8.4% +6.1%
2024 8.2% -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 8.0% 7.5% 8.9% 5
1980s 9.3% 6.6% 13.5% 8
1990s 9.7% 8.3% 11.9% 10
2000s 12.2% 7.7% 16.7% 10
2010s 7.3% 6.3% 8.8% 10
2020s 8.8% 7.9% 10.4% 5

Countries ranked near Uruguay

  1. 50 Panama 8.3% compare
  2. 51 Turks and Caicos Islands 8.3% compare
  3. 52 Armenia 8.3% compare
  4. 54 Georgia 8.0% compare
  5. 55 Suriname 7.9% compare
  6. 56 France 7.7% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Uruguay

All data for Uruguay →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Uruguay?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Uruguay was 8.2% 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 Uruguay?
The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 2003.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Uruguay?
The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2011.
How does Uruguay rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Uruguay ranks 53rd out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Uruguay?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Uruguay 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 Uruguay. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/uruguay/

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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.