Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national was 11.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 1996–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) stood at 11.0%. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 8.1% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 20.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11.0%, in 2025.
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 28th of 30 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … national in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 13.6% | — |
| 1997 | 12.9% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | +6.1% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 16.6% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 14.3% | -13.7% |
| 2007 | 14.1% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 13.9% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | +10.4% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | -9.1% |
| 2012 | 13.0% | -7.0% |
| 2013 | 13.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 13.0% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 16.3% | +19.0% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 17.3% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 18.2% | -11.8% |
| 2022 | 14.3% | -21.6% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 12.0% | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 11.0% | -8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.7% | 12.9% | 14.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 13.9% | 16.7% | 8 |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 13.0% | 17.3% | 9 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 11.0% | 20.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
More work & labour data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 69.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 39.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 56.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 57.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.6% (2025)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 11.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.0% in 2025.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 28th out of 30 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.