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A view of Guatemala

Photo: Arjuno3 · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

01The evidence

The 4 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Guatemala on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys
  1. Key 1 of 4

    Employment-to-Population Ratio

    International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    58.07

    Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)

    Higher is better

    Guatemala: 58.07. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.

    World median
    57.72
    Best in Central America
    62.74 Nicaragua
    Land neighbours
    Belize 53.87 · Honduras 53.77 · Mexico 59.96 · El Salvador 60.06
  2. Key 2 of 4

    Labour Income Share

    International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    43.85

    Labour income share of GDP (%)

    Higher is better

    Guatemala: 43.85. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 9.691 (Venezuela) to 75.13 (Nigeria); the world median is 46.23.

    World median
    46.23
    Best in Central America
    57.36 Honduras
    Land neighbours
    Belize 46.19 · Honduras 57.36 · Mexico 37.98 · El Salvador 50.75
  3. Key 3 of 4

    Unemployment Rate

    International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    2.604

    Unemployment (% of labour force)

    Lower is better

    Guatemala: 2.604. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.

    World median
    5.084
    Best in Central America
    2.604 Guatemala
    Land neighbours
    Belize 8.856 · Honduras 4.92 · Mexico 2.673 · El Salvador 3.303
  4. Key 4 of 4

    Vulnerable Employment

    International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    36.16

    Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)

    Lower is better

    Guatemala: 36.16. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.

    World median
    28.67
    Best in Central America
    23.36 Costa Rica
    Land neighbours
    Belize 29.84 · Honduras 33.87 · Mexico 25.31 · El Salvador 30.82

03In context

Guatemala beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.

Central America
1st182ndNot placed · 42 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on work & labour

Guatemala and the countries it borders

Standing among all 182; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingEmployment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%)Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%)Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force)Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment)
El Salvador50th60.0650.753.30330.82
Mexico67th59.9637.982.67325.31
Guatemala=72nd58.0743.852.60436.16
Honduras=78th53.7757.364.9233.87
Belize=134th53.8746.198.85629.84

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Across Central America

Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.

Placed either side on work & labour

The countries immediately above and below Guatemala in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Guatemala is ahead of the world, and behind

33 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median5

Statistics on which Guatemala does better than the middle country measured.

  • Firms Offering Formal TrainingWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.0772.22No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 72.22 · world median 32.07 · Firms offering formal training to permanent full-time workers (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.42 to 79.12; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.834.764No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 4.764 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.

    Position 158th of 182 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Female Share of Senior and Middle ManagementILO · 2024 · world median 35.8639.81No real change since 2014

    Guatemala: 39.81 · world median 35.86 · Women in senior and middle management (% of managers). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 7.226 to 56.69; higher is better.

    Position 24th of 86 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Firms with a Female Top ManagerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 19.1621.53No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 21.53 · world median 19.16 · Firms with a female top manager (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.429 to 62.9; higher is better.

    Position 68th of 179 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Human Capital Wealth per CapitaWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 25,23026,397No real change since 2010

    Guatemala: 26,397 · world median 25,230 · Human capital per person — present value of future earnings (real chained 2019 US$). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 700.38 to 735,422; higher is better.

    Position 74th of 151 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2020 dataset

Behind the world median19

Statistics on which Guatemala does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8855.625▼ Worsened since 2015

    Guatemala: 5.625 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 32▼ Worsened since 2015

    Guatemala: 2 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6659.62▼ Worsened since 2015

    Guatemala: 59.62 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.

    Position 106th of 182 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • GDP per Person EmployedWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 47,38432,425No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 32,425 · world median 47,384 · GDP per person employed (constant 2021 international $). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 2,456 to 262,554; higher is better.

    Position 102nd of 168 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.1615.01No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 15.01 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.

    Position 115th of 182 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per WorkerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6,7423,459No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 3,459 · world median 6,742 · Agricultural value added per worker (constant 2015 US$). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 210.77 to 150,632; higher is better.

    Position 103rd of 151 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.921.6No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 21.6 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Informal Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 36.7672.3No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 72.3 · world median 36.76 · Informal employment (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.857 to 94.44; lower is better.

    Position 27th of 97 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Average Monthly Earnings of EmployeesILO · 2024 · world median 1,6361,038▲ Improved since 2014

    Guatemala: 1,038 · world median 1,636 · Average monthly earnings of employees (2021 PPP $). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 193.28 to 9,307; higher is better.

    Position 56th of 75 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 9884▼ Worsened since 2015

    Guatemala: 84 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Gini Index of Monthly EarningsILO · 2024 · world median 0.3370.424▼ Worsened since 2014

    Guatemala: 0.424 · world median 0.337 · Gini index of employees’ monthly earnings (0 = all paid the same, 1 = maximum inequality). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.182 to 0.643; lower is better.

    Position 17th of 75 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Youth Not in Education, Employment or TrainingILO · 2024 · world median 14.3124.03No real change since 2014

    Guatemala: 24.03 · world median 14.31 · Youth not in education, employment or training (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.975 to 65.73; lower is better.

    Position 20th of 97 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3638.32No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 38.32 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.

    Position 154th of 182 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Firms Competing Against Informal FirmsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 41.8162.89No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 62.89 · world median 41.81 · Firms competing against unregistered or informal firms (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.926 to 90.5; lower is better.

    Position 27th of 181 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed PersonsILO · 2024 · world median 0.5750.22No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 0.22 · world median 0.575 · Labour inspectors per 10,000 employed persons. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 3.89; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4)ILO · 2024 · world median 12.5623.54▼ Worsened since 2014

    Guatemala: 23.54 · world median 12.56 · Composite rate of labour underutilisation, LU4 (% of the extended labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.495 to 49.82; lower is better.

    Position 9th of 76 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Low Pay RateILO · 2024 · world median 17.8934.06▼ Worsened since 2023

    Guatemala: 34.06 · world median 17.89 · Employees paid less than two-thirds of the median hourly earnings (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.395 to 41.69; lower is better.

    Position 8th of 71 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.616.88▼ Worsened since 2015

    Guatemala: 6.88 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Trade Union DensityILO · 2020 · world median 16.683.149No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 3.149 · world median 16.68 · Employees who are trade union members (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.2 to 91.42; higher is better.

    Position 132nd of 139 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2020 dataset

Level with the median, or no median to compare1

  • Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 00No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 0 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No better end8

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.8822.71Moved since 2015

    Guatemala: 22.71 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.

    Position 57th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.3829.05No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 29.05 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.

    Position 60th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Statutory Minimum WageILO · 2024 · world median 657.95962.55Moved since 2014

    Guatemala: 962.55 · world median 657.95 · Statutory minimum wage per month (2021 PPP $). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.038 to 3,804.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8941.36No real change since 2015

    Guatemala: 41.36 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.

    Position 62nd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.8439.08Moved since 2015

    Guatemala: 39.08 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.

    Position 79th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Share of Temporary EmployeesILO · 2024 · world median 13.4511.3Moved since 2014

    Guatemala: 11.3 · world median 13.45 · Employees on temporary contracts (% of employees). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.337 to 72.78.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5148.23Moved since 2015

    Guatemala: 48.23 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.

    Position 133rd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 15.016.563No earlier reading

    Guatemala: 6.563 · world median 15.01 · Public sector employment (% of total employment). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.672 to 47.1.

    Position 107th of 135 · derived, counted from the highest value.

    Chart and every countryThe 2022 dataset

No current reading for Guatemala

Fatal Occupational Injuries (last 2022). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

06The top of the list

Who leads on work & labour

The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders Guatemala can most readily be measured against.

All 182 countries
  1. 1

    Iceland

    Northern Europe

    1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys

    Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Japan

    Eastern Asia

    2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys

    Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    South Korea

    Eastern Asia

    3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Americas

    United States14th4/4 keys
  2. Highest in Central America

    El Salvador50th4/4 keys
  3. This page

    Guatemala=72nd4/4 keys

Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

08Questions

Guatemala on work & labour: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Guatemala rank on work & labour?

Guatemala is placed joint 72nd of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for Guatemala?

58.07 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.

What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for Guatemala?

43.85 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.

How does Guatemala compare with Mexico on work & labour?

Mexico is placed 67th of 182, and Guatemala joint 72nd. Employment-to-Population Ratio: Mexico 59.96, Guatemala 58.07; Labour Income Share: Mexico 37.98, Guatemala 43.85; Unemployment Rate: Mexico 2.673, Guatemala 2.604; Vulnerable Employment: Mexico 25.31, Guatemala 36.16.

How have Guatemala’s work & labour figures changed?

Employment-to-Population Ratio fell from 65.46 in 2000 to 58.07 in 2025; Labour Income Share fell from 45.67 in 2004 to 43.85 in 2025; Unemployment Rate rose from 2.143 in 2000 to 2.604 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment fell from 39.29 in 2000 to 36.16 in 2025.

Which work & labour statistics are missing for Guatemala?

No current reading is published for Guatemala on Fatal Occupational Injuries. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

09Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.

About work & labour, in full

How the Work & Labour standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.

The work & labour method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 33 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Guatemala’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Guatemala: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/guatemala/work

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