Uruguay — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Uruguay, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Uruguay was 64.99% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 66.02% in 2011. The lowest was 56.59% in 1993 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.37% per year.
Uruguay ranks 60 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 32%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 63.14%, so Uruguay sits above it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 0%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 10 of 31 economies; Dominican Republic (64.84%) is just below it.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 190 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 126th of 187 in 1990 → 102nd of 187 in 2000 → 65th of 187 in 2010 → 86th of 187 in 2020 → 59th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.99% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 65.02% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 64.58% | +1.4 pp |
| 2022 | 63.18% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 62.89% | +1.8 pp |
| 2020 | 61.1% | -2.4 pp |
| 2019 | 63.49% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 63.68% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 64.11% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 64.61% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 64.93% | -0.9 pp |
| 2014 | 65.87% | +1.0 pp |
| 2013 | 64.84% | -0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 65.22% | -0.8 pp |
| 2011 | 66.02% | +1.7 pp |
| 2010 | 64.29% | -0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 64.74% | +0.7 pp |
| 2008 | 64.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 63.82% | +1.8 pp |
| 2006 | 61.98% | +2.5 pp |
| 2005 | 59.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 59.49% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 59.11% | -0.9 pp |
| 2002 | 59.97% | -1.6 pp |
| 2001 | 61.56% | +1.4 pp |
| 2000 | 60.16% | +0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 59.79% | -1.2 pp |
| 1998 | 61.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 60.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 60.31% | +1.1 pp |
| 1995 | 59.19% | +1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 58.11% | +1.5 pp |
| 1993 | 56.59% | -1.0 pp |
| 1992 | 57.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 57.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 57.2% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Uruguay’s Labor participation in 1991?
57.52% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Uruguay’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +13.6% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 64.99%; 2024: 65.02%; 2023: 64.58%; 2022: 63.18%; 2021: 62.89%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.