Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador
Ecuador: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 8.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
8.2%
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
138th
of 187 countries
All-time high
11.1%
in 2020
All-time low
7.0%
in 2007
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador stood at 8.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador peaked at 11.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 2007.
Ecuador ranks 138th 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 Ecuador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.2% | — |
| 1992 | 9.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 9.3% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 9.3% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 9.4% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 9.4% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 9.5% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 9.3% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 9.6% | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 9.8% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 8.6% | -12.5% |
| 2002 | 9.5% | +11.2% |
| 2003 | 10.8% | +14.1% |
| 2004 | 10.2% | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | -22.9% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.0% | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 9.2% | +30.6% |
| 2009 | 9.9% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 9.3% | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +17.3% |
| 2017 | 8.5% | -18.2% |
| 2018 | 8.0% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +9.8% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | +26.7% |
| 2021 | 9.1% | -17.5% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | -9.2% |
| 2023 | 7.8% | -6.2% |
| 2024 | 8.6% | +10.2% |
| 2025 | 8.2% | -4.8% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 8.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 52% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 8.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 58% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.3% | 9.1% | 9.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.1% | 7.0% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 7.8% | 11.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
- 135 Malta 8.4% compare
- 136 Kyrgyzstan 8.2% compare
- 137 Trinidad and Tobago 8.2% compare
- 139 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 7.9% compare
- 140 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.8% compare
- 141 El Salvador 7.8% compare
More work & labour data for Ecuador
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.578 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.567 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.589 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 17,174 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,794 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,543 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,549 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 19,092 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Ecuador was 8.2% 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 2007.
- How does Ecuador rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Ecuador ranks 138th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ecuador 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.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.