Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employers, total (% of total employment) in Afghanistan is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in Afghanistan peaked at 1.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2005.
That places Afghanistan 147th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.1% | — |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +549.4% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +96.0% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +15.4% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | +8.9% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | -0.5% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.8%, 59% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 45% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +549.4% | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| 2014 | +96.0% | 0.7% | 1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in Afghanistan?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in Afghanistan was 1.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2005.
- How does Afghanistan rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- Afghanistan ranks 147th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).