Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize
Belize: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 19.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Belize recorded 19.3% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize peaked at 28.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 15.7%, in 2017.
Belize ranks 53rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.7% | — |
| 1992 | 18.9% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 19.0% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 21.3% | +11.9% |
| 1995 | 23.9% | +12.5% |
| 1996 | 26.5% | +10.9% |
| 1997 | 25.0% | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 28.3% | +12.9% |
| 1999 | 25.8% | -8.7% |
| 2000 | 22.0% | -14.6% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | -15.8% |
| 2002 | 20.4% | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 21.5% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 19.0% | -14.1% |
| 2007 | 17.2% | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 16.5% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 16.8% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 17.0% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 18.3% | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 16.5% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 15.7% | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 22.0% | +40.3% |
| 2019 | 19.9% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | +12.2% |
| 2021 | 21.8% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 18.4% | -15.6% |
| 2023 | 17.8% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 18.6% | +4.0% |
| 2025 | 19.3% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.1% | 18.7% | 28.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.5% | 16.5% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 15.7% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 17.8% | 22.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belize
More work & labour data for Belize
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7058 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6517 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7615 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 338.14 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 254.28 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 219.33 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 228.04 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 447.37 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Belize was 19.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Belize?
- The highest recorded value was 28.3% in 1998.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Belize?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7% in 2017.
- How does Belize rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Belize ranks 53rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Belize?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belize data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.