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Labour · Latin America & Caribbean · Lower-middle income

Bolivia: the labour market

Labour force is 7.0m (2025), 70th of 187 in the world and 10th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Participation rate is 78.6% (2025), 11th of 187 in the world and 1st of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Women's participation is 72.9% (2025), 11th of 187 in the world and 1st of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean.

Labour force7.0m2025 · world 70/187 · region 10/31Participation rate78.6%2025 · world 11/187 · region 1/31Women's participation72.9%2025 · world 11/187 · region 1/31Employment rate76.3%2025 · world 12/187 · region 1/31
Labour force
Bolivia
02.0m4.0m6.0m8.0m1995200020052010201520202025Bolivia7.0m
Participation rate
BoliviaLatin America & CaribbeanLower-middle incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Bolivia78.6%Latin America & CaribbeanLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Bolivia in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Latin America & Caribbean; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total7.0m202570/18710/313.7m4.6m5.9m+39%since 2015325m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+78.6%202511/1871/3170.2%68.4%72.3%+11.1 ppsince 201562.7%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+72.9%202511/1871/3159.0%57.7%65.0%+15.8 ppsince 201551.4%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)76.3%202512/1871/3168.4%66.6%66.6%+10.9 ppsince 201559.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.0%2025150/18728/312.4%2.6%7.9%−0.1 ppsince 20155.5%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.3%2025147/18728/312.6%3.2%9.7%−0.5 ppsince 20156.5%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)5.0%2025162/18729/314.3%5.3%15.2%−1.8 ppsince 201512.2%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %8.0%2025152/17028/2814.4%10.9%201113.7%−6.6 ppsince 201518.1%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment33.7%2025149/18730/3125.0%30.1%30.2%+5.4 ppsince 201564.4%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)62.7%202539/1872/3171.9%64.6%66.6%−4.7 ppsince 201531.5%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment24.7%202574/1875/3136.6%29.8%27.9%−3.3 ppsince 201512.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment19.8%202584/18713/3122.0%21.8%20.2%−3.5 ppsince 201520.5%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment55.5%2025106/18727/3141.4%48.4%51.9%+6.8 ppsince 201566.8%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Bolivia and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Bolivia. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBoliviaBrazilArgentinaPeruChileParaguay
Labour force7.0m2025108m202522.4m202519.2m202510.3m20253.5m2025
Participation rate78.6%202563.1%202561.9%202572.9%202562.3%202570.2%2025
Women's participation72.9%202553.4%202552.5%202565.0%202552.9%202559.0%2025
Employment rate76.3%202559.4%202557.5%202569.1%202556.7%202566.9%2025
Unemployment3.0%20256.0%20257.1%20255.1%20259.0%20254.8%2025
Female unemployment3.3%20257.3%20258.1%20255.8%20259.6%20256.1%2025
Youth unemployment5.0%202514.0%202519.2%20259.5%202521.6%202511.7%2025
Youth NEET rate8.0%202518.7%202515.2%202522.8%202213.4%202518.6%2017
Wage workers33.7%202569.7%202574.4%202548.7%202576.1%202558.7%2025
Brazil: labourArgentina: labourPeru: labourChile: labourParaguay: labour
Labour in Latin America & Caribbeanall 42 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBolivia: all key statisticscountry profile