Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador
Ecuador: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 3.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Ecuador recorded 3.3% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador peaked at 6.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2013.
Ecuador ranks 136th 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.4% | — |
| 1992 | 4.3% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 4.4% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 4.4% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 4.7% | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 4.8% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 4.3% | -11.4% |
| 2002 | 4.8% | +13.5% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | +17.3% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -11.7% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | -24.5% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | +24.7% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +17.6% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -15.4% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +12.9% |
| 2015 | 3.6% | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 4.6% | +27.1% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -16.6% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -8.0% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | +8.0% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | +60.4% |
| 2021 | 4.5% | -26.4% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -17.6% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | -4.2% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 3.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 59% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 3.3% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.0%, 55% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 3.1% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 3.3% | 6.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More education data for Ecuador
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 93,535 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 5,078 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 288,731 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.79 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.72 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0951 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Ecuador was 3.3% 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2013.
- How does Ecuador rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Ecuador ranks 136th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. 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, 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.