Employees by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2) (2008-2026) - quarterly data by country
Countries reporting
45
Highest
38,781 Thousand persons
Germany
Lowest
159.1 Thousand persons
Montenegro
Median
2,489 Thousand persons
Years covered
19
2008–2026
Data points
853
What the numbers show
Employees by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2) (2008-2026) - quarterly data is currently reported for 45 countries. The highest value is 38,781 Thousand persons in Germany; the lowest is 159.1 Thousand persons in Montenegro.
The median across all reporting countries is 2,489 Thousand persons, and the mean is 6,590 Thousand persons.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 244.
Over the past decade 41 countries rose and 4 fell. The largest increase was in Malta (up 59.3%), and the largest decrease in Bulgaria (down 6.4%).
Employees by economic activity (NACE Rev. 2) (2008-2026) - quarterly: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 38,781 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 27,739 Thousand persons | 2020 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 2 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 27,739 Thousand persons | 2020 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 4 | France | 25,275 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 5 | Türkiye | 22,748 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 6 | Spain | 19,052 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 7 | Italy | 18,845 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 8 | Poland | 13,870 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 8 | Poland | 13,870 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 10 | Netherlands | 8,326 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 10 | Netherlands | 8,326 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 12 | Romania | 6,674 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 13 | Sweden | 4,727 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 14 | Portugal | 4,473 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 15 | Czechia | 4,428 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 16 | Belgium | 4,338 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 17 | Hungary | 4,078 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 18 | Switzerland | 4,052 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 19 | Austria | 3,915 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 20 | Greece | 3,070 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 21 | Denmark | 2,848 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 22 | Norway | 2,738 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 23 | Bulgaria | 2,489 Thousand persons | 2026 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 24 | Ireland | 2,390 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 31.4% | rising |
| 25 | Finland | 2,220 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 26 | Serbia | 2,201 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 27 | Slovakia | 2,177 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 27 | Slovakia | 2,177 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 29 | Croatia | 1,466 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 29 | Croatia | 1,466 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 1,277 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 1,277 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 33 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,074 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 34 | Slovenia | 860.1 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 34 | Slovenia | 860.1 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 36 | Latvia | 749 Thousand persons | 2026 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 36 | Latvia | 749 Thousand persons | 2026 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 38 | Estonia | 608.8 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 38 | Estonia | 608.8 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 40 | North Macedonia | 582.7 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 41 | Cyprus | 457.5 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 44.1% | rising |
| 42 | Luxembourg | 296.3 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 25.1% | rising |
| 43 | Malta | 289.2 Thousand persons | 2026 | up 59.3% | rising |
| 44 | Iceland | 197.2 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 45 | Montenegro | 159.1 Thousand persons | 2020 | down 2.8% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) 179,199 Thousand persons
- Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) 142,387 Thousand persons