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Labour · Latin America & Caribbean · High income

Guyana: the labour market

Labour force is 326,682 (2025), 164th of 187 in the world and 24th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Participation rate is 55.0% (2025), 140th of 187 in the world and 26th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Women's participation is 47.4% (2025), 131st of 187 in the world and 23rd of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean.

Labour force326,6822025 · world 164/187 · region 24/31Participation rate55.0%2025 · world 140/187 · region 26/31Women's participation47.4%2025 · world 131/187 · region 23/31Employment rate48.4%2025 · world 150/187 · region 29/31
Labour force
Guyana
260,000280,000300,000320,000340,0001995200020052010201520202025Guyana326,682
Participation rate
GuyanaLatin America & CaribbeanHigh incomeWorld
50%55%60%65%1995200020052010201520202025Guyana55.0%Latin America & CaribbeanHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Guyana 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, total326,6822025164/18724/31277,438286,522288,992+11%since 2015325m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+55.0%2025140/18726/3157.2%56.4%50.7%−0.8 ppsince 201562.7%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+47.4%2025131/18723/3135.4%39.3%40.3%+5.1 ppsince 201551.4%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)48.4%2025150/18729/3150.4%49.8%43.0%−0.1 ppsince 201559.3%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)12.0%202526/1873/3111.9%11.6%15.3%−1.0 ppsince 20155.5%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)13.4%202531/1874/3115.3%14.3%16.7%−2.0 ppsince 20156.5%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)24.9%202530/1875/3124.9%22.5%31.0%+0.7 ppsince 201512.2%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %31.3%202428/1702/28··46.8%—18.1%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment68.9%202592/18716/3162.5%63.2%64.7%+4.5 ppsince 201564.4%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)25.3%2025101/18717/3131.7%31.0%29.4%−4.5 ppsince 201531.5%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment12.2%2025101/18715/3127.5%19.9%15.6%−5.1 ppsince 201512.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment31.1%202515/1871/3123.0%25.1%24.5%+6.3 ppsince 201520.5%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment56.7%2025103/18725/3149.5%55.0%59.9%−1.2 ppsince 201566.8%74.9%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

Guyana and its neighbours

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

IndicatorGuyanaBrazilVenezuelaSuriname
Labour force326,6822025108m202511.1m2025257,1282025
Participation rate55.0%202563.1%202551.9%202553.8%2025
Women's participation47.4%202553.4%202537.1%202544.9%2025
Employment rate48.4%202559.4%202549.2%202549.6%2025
Unemployment12.0%20256.0%20255.3%20257.8%2025
Female unemployment13.4%20257.3%20255.8%202510.8%2025
Youth unemployment24.9%202514.0%202510.4%202525.4%2025
Youth NEET rate31.3%202418.7%202537.1%202018.2%2016
Wage workers68.9%202569.7%202559.6%202577.5%2025
Brazil: labourVenezuela: labourSuriname: labour
Labour in Latin America & Caribbeanall 42 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesGuyana: all key statisticscountry profile