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Labour · Latin America & Caribbean · Upper-middle income

Suriname: the labour market

Labour force is 257,128 (2025), 170th of 187 in the world and 25th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Participation rate is 53.8% (2025), 145th of 187 in the world and 28th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Women's participation is 44.9% (2025), 138th of 187 in the world and 26th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean.

Labour force257,1282025 · world 170/187 · region 25/31Participation rate53.8%2025 · world 145/187 · region 28/31Women's participation44.9%2025 · world 138/187 · region 26/31Employment rate49.6%2025 · world 144/187 · region 27/31
Labour force
Suriname
0100,000200,000300,0001995200020052010201520202025Suriname257,128
Participation rate
SurinameLatin America & CaribbeanUpper-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Suriname53.8%Latin America & CaribbeanUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Suriname 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, total257,1282025170/18725/31150,740202,286235,893+12%since 2015325m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+53.8%2025145/18728/3147.2%52.8%52.7%−1.7 ppsince 201562.7%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+44.9%2025138/18726/3133.4%40.6%42.9%+0.5 ppsince 201551.4%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)49.6%2025144/18727/3141.1%49.0%47.9%−1.9 ppsince 201559.3%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)7.8%202556/18711/3112.9%7.2%9.0%+0.6 ppsince 20155.5%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)10.8%202545/1876/3119.5%12.8%12.4%−0.7 ppsince 20156.5%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)25.4%202528/1873/3131.1%13.5%28.8%+12.4 ppsince 201512.2%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %18.2%201686/17018/28···—18.1%17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment77.5%202565/1875/3181.4%79.0%76.6%+0.3 ppsince 201564.4%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)18.4%2025123/18728/3117.7%18.0%19.4%−0.7 ppsince 201531.5%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment7.0%2025123/18725/316.9%7.8%7.6%−0.7 ppsince 201512.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment26.1%202535/1872/3116.3%25.1%26.1%+0.7 ppsince 201520.5%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment66.9%202573/18719/3176.8%67.2%66.3%±0.0 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

Suriname and its neighbours

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

IndicatorSurinameBrazilFranceGuyana
Labour force257,1282025108m202531.9m2025326,6822025
Participation rate53.8%202563.1%202555.3%202555.0%2025
Women's participation44.9%202553.4%202551.5%202547.4%2025
Employment rate49.6%202559.4%202551.2%202548.4%2025
Unemployment7.8%20256.0%20257.5%202512.0%2025
Female unemployment10.8%20257.3%20257.5%202513.4%2025
Youth unemployment25.4%202514.0%202518.9%202524.9%2025
Youth NEET rate18.2%201618.7%202511.0%202531.3%2024
Wage workers77.5%202569.7%202586.7%202568.9%2025
Brazil: labourFrance: labourGuyana: labour
Labour in Latin America & Caribbeanall 42 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSuriname: all key statisticscountry profile