Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 2.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala stood at 2.6%.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala peaked at 3.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1999.
Guatemala ranks 162nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
| 1992 | 2.2% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 2.1% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | +24.5% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +8.6% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -12.7% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | +9.1% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +35.2% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -26.7% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | +40.3% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -23.2% |
| 2024 | 2.6% | +11.5% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 159 Republic of Korea 2.7% compare
- 160 Guinea-Bissau 2.7% compare
- 160 Mexico 2.7% compare
- 163 Papua New Guinea 2.6% compare
- 164 Japan 2.5% compare
- 165 Macau, China 2.3% compare
More education data for Guatemala
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 247,917 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 335,306 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 328,468 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.42 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.3948 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1317 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Guatemala was 2.6% 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1999.
- How does Guatemala rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Guatemala ranks 162nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. 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, 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.