Uruguay — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Uruguay, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Uruguay was 7.52% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 16.66% in 2003. The lowest was 6.31% in 2011 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.51% per year.
Uruguay ranks 59 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 32%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 5.99%, so Uruguay sits above it. It peaked in 2003 and has fallen 55% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 0%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 12 of 31 economies; Argentina (7.14%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 22% in 2004. That is 10% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 63rd of 187 in 1991 → 41st of 187 in 2000 → 90th of 187 in 2010 → 54th of 187 in 2020 → 54th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7.52% | -0.7 pp |
| 2024 | 8.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 8.36% | +0.5 pp |
| 2022 | 7.88% | -1.5 pp |
| 2021 | 9.33% | -1.1 pp |
| 2020 | 10.41% | +1.6 pp |
| 2019 | 8.84% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 8.34% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 7.89% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 7.84% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 7.49% | +0.9 pp |
| 2014 | 6.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 6.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 6.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 6.31% | -0.9 pp |
| 2010 | 7.16% | -0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 7.74% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 8.03% | -1.4 pp |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -1.4 pp |
| 2006 | 10.84% | -1.2 pp |
| 2005 | 12.01% | -1.0 pp |
| 2004 | 12.98% | -3.7 pp |
| 2003 | 16.66% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 16.65% | +1.6 pp |
| 2001 | 15.05% | +2.4 pp |
| 2000 | 12.63% | +2.2 pp |
| 1999 | 10.47% | +1.1 pp |
| 1998 | 9.36% | -2.1 pp |
| 1997 | 11.44% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 11.93% | +1.9 pp |
| 1995 | 10.02% | +1.0 pp |
| 1994 | 9.04% | +0.7 pp |
| 1993 | 8.35% | -0.6 pp |
| 1992 | 8.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 8.95% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Uruguay’s Unemployment in 1992?
8.96% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Uruguay’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -16.0% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 7.52%; 2024: 8.21%; 2023: 8.36%; 2022: 7.88%; 2021: 9.33%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment 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.