Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 4.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Guatemala recorded 4.8% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala peaked at 6.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1999.
That places Guatemala 163rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.4% | — |
| 1992 | 3.4% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 3.3% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | +28.6% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | +20.9% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 4.9% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 5.3% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 4.6% | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | +19.4% |
| 2014 | 5.7% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4.9% | -11.5% |
| 2018 | 4.7% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 5.2% | +15.6% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | -26.5% |
| 2022 | 6.3% | +65.6% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | -31.0% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | +6.9% |
| 2025 | 4.8% | +3.0% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 4.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 30% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 4.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 34% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +65.6% | 3.8% | 6.3% |
| 2023 | -31.0% | 6.3% | 4.3% |
| 2003 | +28.6% | 3.4% | 4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 3.8% | 6.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 160 Nigeria 5.3% compare
- 161 Madagascar 5.2% compare
- 162 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 5.0% compare
- 164 Thailand 4.5% compare
- 165 Cuba 4.3% compare
- 166 Republic of Moldova 4.2% compare
More work & labour data for Guatemala
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3404 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3121 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3683 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6261 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.73 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 18,121 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,847 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 13,041 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 12,871 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 25,912 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Guatemala was 4.8% 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1999.
- How does Guatemala rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Guatemala ranks 163rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.