World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Latin America & Caribbean · Upper-middle income

Cuba: the labour market

Labour force is 4.9m (2025), 88th of 187 in the world and 13th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Participation rate is 52.2% (2025), 150th of 187 in the world and 29th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Women's participation is 40.0% (2025), 151st of 187 in the world and 27th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean.

Labour force4.9m2025 · world 88/187 · region 13/31Participation rate52.2%2025 · world 150/187 · region 29/31Women's participation40.0%2025 · world 151/187 · region 27/31Employment rate51.3%2025 · world 134/187 · region 26/31
Labour force
Cuba
4.4m4.6m4.8m5.0m5.2m5.4m1995200020052010201520202025Cuba4.9m
Participation rate
CubaLatin America & CaribbeanUpper-middle incomeWorld
50%55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Cuba52.2%Latin America & CaribbeanUpper-middle incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: Cuba 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, total4.9m202588/18713/314.7m5.1m4.9m−6.9%since 2015325m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+52.2%2025150/18729/3153.7%54.8%52.6%−3.3 ppsince 201562.7%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+40.0%2025151/18727/3136.3%41.9%42.3%−4.3 ppsince 201551.4%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)51.3%2025134/18726/3150.8%53.5%51.4%−2.9 ppsince 201559.3%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)1.7%2025173/18731/315.5%2.5%2.2%−0.7 ppsince 20155.5%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)1.9%2025175/18731/318.5%2.7%2.3%−0.7 ppsince 20156.5%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)4.3%2025165/18731/3111.1%6.0%5.2%−1.7 ppsince 201512.2%15.6%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment75.1%202569/1877/3188.4%88.2%73.5%−0.5 ppsince 201564.4%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)19.3%2025119/18726/319.4%9.5%21.1%−0.1 ppsince 201531.5%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment15.5%202591/18711/3122.1%18.6%17.0%−3.0 ppsince 201512.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment16.9%2025119/18720/3120.4%17.1%16.6%±0.0 ppsince 201520.5%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment67.6%202570/18717/3157.6%64.3%66.3%+3.0 ppsince 201566.8%52.4%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

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

neighbours

Cuba and its neighbours

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

IndicatorCubaUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
Labour force4.9m2025175m202535.4m2025
Participation rate52.2%202561.7%202561.4%2025
Women's participation40.0%202556.3%202557.3%2025
Employment rate51.3%202559.1%202558.5%2025
Unemployment1.7%20254.2%20254.7%2025
Female unemployment1.9%20254.2%20254.4%2025
Youth unemployment4.3%20259.3%202514.6%2025
Wage workers75.1%202593.9%202586.9%2025
Vulnerable employment19.3%20253.8%202511.5%2025
United States: labourUnited Kingdom: labour
Labour in Latin America & Caribbeanall 42 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesCuba: all key statisticscountry profile