Labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Labor force, female was 136.62 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean, 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 136.62 million for labor force, female in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 136.62 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 60.64 million, in 1990.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 28th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60.64 million | — |
| 1991 | 62.52 million | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 65.12 million | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 67.91 million | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 70.66 million | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 73.69 million | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 75.16 million | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 78.69 million | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 81.33 million | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 83.64 million | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 85.67 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 88.41 million | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 91.06 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 93.86 million | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 97.06 million | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 100.23 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 102.80 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 104.79 million | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 106.66 million | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 109.77 million | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 110.61 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 111.65 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 114.22 million | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 115.66 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 116.83 million | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 119.42 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 121.57 million | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 123.99 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 126.51 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 129.35 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 120.56 million | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 127.92 million | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 131.42 million | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 133.13 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 135.17 million | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 136.62 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.93 million | 60.64 million | 83.64 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 98.03 million | 85.67 million | 109.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 118.98 million | 110.61 million | 129.35 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 130.80 million | 120.56 million | 136.62 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More gender data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.205 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 6.64 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 135.1% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 15.32 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, male 14.51 years (2019)
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions 29.4% (2025)
- Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) 25.5% (2016)
- Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) 29.2% (2016)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Labor force, female in Latin America & Caribbean was 136.62 million in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 136.62 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.64 million in 1990.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for labor force, female?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 28th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force comprises women ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.