Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Belize
Belize: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 8.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Belize recorded 8.9% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize peaked at 14.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 6.6%, in 2017.
That places Belize 47th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Belize, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.6% | — |
| 1992 | 9.7% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 9.8% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 11.1% | +13.5% |
| 1995 | 12.5% | +12.4% |
| 1996 | 13.8% | +10.7% |
| 1997 | 12.7% | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 14.3% | +12.9% |
| 1999 | 12.8% | -10.3% |
| 2000 | 10.8% | -15.6% |
| 2001 | 9.1% | -16.3% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +10.7% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 10.6% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 10.9% | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | -9.4% |
| 2008 | 8.2% | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 8.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 8.4% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 8.2% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 7.6% | -8.1% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 6.6% | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 9.3% | +41.7% |
| 2019 | 9.1% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 10.8% | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 10.3% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 8.7% | -15.7% |
| 2023 | 8.3% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 8.7% | +5.1% |
| 2025 | 8.9% | +1.8% |
Belize compared with similar countries
- Belize's 8.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 1.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Belize's 8.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.0%, 1.5× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.8% | 9.6% | 14.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 8.2% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.1% | 6.6% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | 8.3% | 10.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belize
More education data for Belize
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2,319 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2,390 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 3,316 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3,346 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 38,323 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 44,757 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0671 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1073 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Belize was 8.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Belize?
- The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 1998.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Belize?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.6% in 2017.
- How does Belize rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Belize ranks 47th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Belize?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.9%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.