Ecuador Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Ecuador's industry employment was 16.59% in 2025, ranked 60th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Ecuador's industry employment stood at 16.59% in 2025, a decline of +0.06% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 16.62% by 2026. Ecuador ranked 60th globally.
Ecuador’s share of the labour force employed in industry has slipped from an all‑time high of 20.78 % in 1991 to a trough of 15.88 % in 2020, before modestly rebounding to 16.59 % in 2025, placing the country at rank 60 worldwide. The 35‑year series shows a persistent decline despite periodic recoveries, reflecting structural shifts toward services and agriculture and the impact of commodity‑price volatility on manufacturing. Compared with peers of similar rank, Ecuador’s 2025 figure is just below Georgia’s 16.57 % and Burkina Faso’s 16.67 %, indicating a modestly lower industrial employment intensity in the region. The recent uptick suggests that policy measures aimed at revitalising export‑oriented manufacturing or expanding value‑added processing of natural resources could halt the long‑term downward trajectory, while continued investment in skills and infrastructure will be critical to sustain any further gains.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 16.39% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 16.50% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 16.62% | - | - |
| 2025 | 16.59% | −0.06% | #60 |
| 2024 | 16.65% | −0.82% | #60 |
| 2023 | 17.47% | +0.12% | #73 |
| 2022 | 17.35% | +0.52% | #71 |
| 2021 | 16.83% | +0.95% | #66 |
| 2020 | 15.88% | −0.05% | #61 |
| 2019 | 15.94% | −1.23% | #57 |
| 2018 | 17.17% | −0.05% | #68 |
| 2017 | 17.22% | −0.07% | #72 |
| 2016 | 17.29% | −0.98% | #71 |
| 2015 | 18.27% | −0.32% | #79 |
| 2014 | 18.59% | +0.84% | #81 |
| 2013 | 17.75% | +1.53% | #78 |
| 2012 | 16.21% | +0.13% | #58 |
| 2011 | 16.08% | −0.51% | #56 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ecuador matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ecuador's industry employment was 16.59% in 2025. Ranked 60th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from the previous year.
Ecuador's industry employment peaked at 20.78% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in Ecuador was 15.88% in 2020.
Ecuador ranks 60th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Ecuador's industry employment is projected to reach 16.62% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Ecuador in 2025 was 16.59%. This ranks 60th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ecuador_industry-employment,
title = {Ecuador Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ecuador/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}