Employment (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) by country
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following...
Countries reporting
188
Highest
737,575
China
Lowest
31.87
Sao Tome and Principe
Median
4,122
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
9,646
What the numbers show
Employment (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) is currently reported for 188 countries. The highest value is 737,575 in China; the lowest is 31.87 in Sao Tome and Principe.
The median across all reporting countries is 4,122, and the mean is 19,153.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 23,142.
Over the past decade 170 countries rose and 18 fell. The largest increase was in Senegal (up 67.2%), and the largest decrease in United States Virgin Islands (down 19.0%).
Employment (ILO modelled estimates): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 737,575 | 2025 | down 2.1% | rising |
| 2 | India | 591,572 | 2025 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 3 | United States of America | 170,186 | 2025 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 4 | Indonesia | 142,343 | 2025 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 5 | Nigeria | 113,009 | 2025 | up 37.4% | rising |
| 6 | Brazil | 101,852 | 2025 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 7 | Pakistan | 80,542 | 2025 | up 20.6% | rising |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 71,915 | 2025 | up 21.5% | rising |
| 9 | Russian Federation | 71,459 | 2025 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 10 | Japan | 67,630 | 2025 | up 6.1% | flat |
| 11 | Mexico | 60,058 | 2025 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 12 | Viet Nam | 56,173 | 2025 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 13 | Ethiopia | 54,892 | 2025 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 14 | Philippines | 51,037 | 2025 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 15 | Germany | 42,226 | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 16 | Thailand | 40,552 | 2025 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 17 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 37,479 | 2025 | up 37.2% | rising |
| 18 | Türkiye | 34,450 | 2025 | up 22.9% | rising |
| 19 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 33,760 | 2025 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 20 | Egypt | 33,658 | 2025 | up 25.5% | rising |
| 21 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 33,517 | 2025 | up 41.2% | rising |
| 22 | France | 29,352 | 2025 | up 8.0% | rising |
| 23 | Republic of Korea | 29,054 | 2025 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 24 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 27,071 | 2025 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 25 | Colombia | 24,852 | 2025 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 26 | Italy | 24,114 | 2025 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 27 | Kenya | 23,365 | 2025 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 28 | Uganda | 22,752 | 2025 | up 58.7% | rising |
| 29 | Myanmar | 22,242 | 2025 | down 7.8% | rising |
| 30 | Spain | 21,531 | 2025 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 31 | Argentina | 20,820 | 2025 | up 16.5% | rising |
| 32 | Canada | 20,490 | 2025 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 33 | Ukraine | 18,519 | 2021 | down 10.1% | falling |
| 34 | Poland | 18,458 | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 35 | Peru | 18,258 | 2025 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 36 | South Africa | 18,073 | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 37 | Malaysia | 18,015 | 2025 | up 23.1% | rising |
| 38 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 17,070 | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 39 | Saudi Arabia | 16,665 | 2025 | up 31.5% | volatile |
| 40 | Madagascar | 16,572 | 2025 | up 32.9% | rising |
| 41 | Mozambique | 14,620 | 2025 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 42 | Australia | 14,170 | 2025 | up 19.3% | rising |
| 43 | Angola | 14,019 | 2025 | up 43.0% | rising |
| 44 | Uzbekistan | 13,962 | 2025 | up 18.6% | rising |
| 45 | Ghana | 12,856 | 2025 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 46 | Côte d'Ivoire | 12,764 | 2025 | up 34.2% | rising |
| 47 | Algeria | 11,980 | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 48 | Niger | 11,924 | 2025 | up 61.4% | rising |
| 49 | Taiwan, China | 11,701 | 2025 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 50 | Morocco | 11,495 | 2025 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 51 | Cameroon | 11,053 | 2025 | up 24.4% | rising |
| 52 | Iraq | 10,559 | 2025 | up 22.9% | rising |
| 53 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 10,528 | 2025 | down 17.1% | rising |
| 54 | Cambodia | 10,340 | 2025 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 55 | Sudan | 10,125 | 2022 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 56 | Netherlands | 10,089 | 2025 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 57 | Burkina Faso | 9,570 | 2025 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 58 | Kazakhstan | 9,532 | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 59 | Chile | 9,399 | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 60 | Mali | 8,897 | 2025 | up 32.3% | rising |
| 61 | Ecuador | 8,680 | 2025 | up 18.8% | rising |
| 62 | Sri Lanka | 8,471 | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 63 | Afghanistan | 8,174 | 2025 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 64 | Malawi | 7,902 | 2025 | up 33.2% | rising |
| 65 | Romania | 7,705 | 2025 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 66 | Zambia | 7,537 | 2025 | up 51.7% | rising |
| 67 | Nepal | 7,488 | 2025 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 68 | Guatemala | 7,485 | 2025 | up 24.7% | rising |
| 69 | United Arab Emirates | 7,330 | 2025 | up 32.6% | volatile |
| 70 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 6,773 | 2025 | up 39.5% | rising |
| 71 | Yemen | 6,743 | 2025 | up 41.3% | rising |
| 72 | Chad | 6,675 | 2025 | up 45.3% | rising |
| 73 | Benin | 6,539 | 2025 | up 41.0% | rising |
| 74 | Burundi | 6,250 | 2025 | up 36.4% | rising |
| 75 | Zimbabwe | 6,218 | 2025 | up 22.9% | rising |
| 76 | Senegal | 5,964 | 2025 | up 67.2% | rising |
| 77 | Syrian Arab Republic | 5,847 | 2025 | up 56.6% | rising |
| 78 | Czechia | 5,282 | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 79 | Sweden | 5,235 | 2025 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 80 | Dominican Republic | 5,232 | 2025 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 81 | Rwanda | 5,179 | 2025 | up 41.4% | rising |
| 82 | Belgium | 5,062 | 2025 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 83 | Portugal | 4,960 | 2025 | up 8.8% | flat |
| 84 | Azerbaijan | 4,902 | 2025 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 85 | Switzerland | 4,846 | 2025 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 86 | Hungary | 4,772 | 2025 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 87 | Cuba | 4,771 | 2025 | down 6.3% | rising |
| 88 | Belarus | 4,588 | 2025 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 89 | Haiti | 4,481 | 2025 | up 14.2% | rising |
| 90 | Guinea | 4,479 | 2025 | up 27.1% | rising |
| 91 | South Sudan | 4,443 | 2023 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 92 | Austria | 4,442 | 2025 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 93 | Israel | 4,381 | 2025 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 94 | Honduras | 4,127 | 2025 | up 14.1% | rising |
| 95 | Greece | 4,116 | 2025 | up 15.8% | flat |
| 96 | Papua New Guinea | 3,650 | 2025 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 97 | Hong Kong, China | 3,634 | 2025 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 98 | Tunisia | 3,623 | 2025 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 99 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 3,607 | 2025 | up 35.1% | rising |
| 100 | Singapore | 3,510 | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 101 | Paraguay | 3,359 | 2025 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 102 | Togo | 3,354 | 2025 | up 31.5% | rising |
| 103 | Nicaragua | 3,152 | 2025 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 104 | Serbia | 3,150 | 2025 | up 21.5% | falling |
| 105 | Bulgaria | 3,111 | 2025 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 106 | Denmark | 3,109 | 2025 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 107 | Kuwait | 2,959 | 2025 | up 39.5% | rising |
| 108 | Norway | 2,958 | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 109 | El Salvador | 2,891 | 2025 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 110 | Somalia | 2,882 | 2025 | up 43.1% | rising |
| 111 | New Zealand | 2,880 | 2025 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 112 | Sierra Leone | 2,843 | 2025 | up 29.4% | rising |
| 113 | Oman | 2,751 | 2025 | up 26.0% | volatile |
| 114 | Kyrgyzstan | 2,749 | 2025 | up 17.7% | rising |
| 115 | Ireland | 2,689 | 2025 | up 30.6% | rising |
| 116 | Jordan | 2,688 | 2025 | up 32.0% | rising |
| 117 | Slovakia | 2,643 | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 118 | Finland | 2,603 | 2025 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 119 | Liberia | 2,597 | 2025 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 120 | Tajikistan | 2,464 | 2025 | up 20.1% | rising |
| 121 | Qatar | 2,302 | 2025 | up 26.5% | volatile |
| 122 | Costa Rica | 2,261 | 2025 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 123 | Libya | 2,126 | 2025 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 124 | Congo | 2,116 | 2025 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 125 | Turkmenistan | 2,109 | 2025 | up 15.5% | rising |
| 126 | Panama | 2,096 | 2025 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 127 | Central African Republic | 1,947 | 2025 | up 19.2% | rising |
| 128 | Republic of Moldova | 1,717 | 2025 | down 7.4% | flat |
| 129 | Georgia | 1,711 | 2025 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 130 | Uruguay | 1,670 | 2025 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 131 | Eritrea | 1,658 | 2025 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 132 | Croatia | 1,645 | 2025 | up 4.4% | falling |
| 133 | Lebanon | 1,635 | 2023 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 134 | Jamaica | 1,560 | 2025 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 135 | Lithuania | 1,420 | 2025 | up 6.5% | falling |
| 136 | Mongolia | 1,362 | 2025 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 137 | Albania | 1,323 | 2025 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 138 | Armenia | 1,238 | 2025 | up 5.4% | falling |
| 139 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,193 | 2025 | up 9.7% | falling |
| 140 | Puerto Rico | 1,155 | 2025 | up 17.3% | falling |
| 141 | Mauritania | 1,120 | 2025 | up 33.9% | rising |
| 142 | Palestine, State of | 1,106 | 2022 | up 32.2% | rising |
| 143 | Slovenia | 1,009 | 2025 | up 9.7% | rising |
| 144 | Bahrain | 933.78 | 2025 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 145 | Namibia | 930.41 | 2025 | up 28.5% | rising |
| 146 | Botswana | 905.81 | 2025 | up 24.2% | rising |
| 147 | Latvia | 888.91 | 2025 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 148 | Guinea-Bissau | 875.18 | 2025 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 149 | Gambia | 754.62 | 2025 | up 35.4% | rising |
| 150 | Lesotho | 744.4 | 2025 | up 6.1% | flat |
| 151 | Cyprus | 732.34 | 2025 | up 31.1% | rising |
| 152 | Trinidad and Tobago | 696.07 | 2025 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 153 | North Macedonia | 689.92 | 2025 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 154 | Estonia | 680.25 | 2025 | up 6.5% | flat |
| 155 | Equatorial Guinea | 676.46 | 2025 | up 34.1% | rising |
| 156 | Gabon | 674.02 | 2025 | up 28.9% | rising |
| 157 | Timor-Leste | 625.37 | 2025 | up 32.3% | rising |
| 158 | Mauritius | 598.85 | 2025 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 159 | Solomon Islands | 442.08 | 2025 | up 37.4% | rising |
| 160 | Macau, China | 412.79 | 2025 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 161 | Bhutan | 397.99 | 2025 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 162 | Fiji | 369.42 | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 163 | Luxembourg | 330.23 | 2025 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 164 | Comoros | 298.97 | 2025 | up 54.5% | rising |
| 165 | Malta | 295.13 | 2025 | up 46.9% | rising |
| 166 | Guyana | 287.6 | 2025 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 167 | Eswatini | 283.5 | 2025 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 168 | Montenegro | 260.31 | 2025 | up 17.9% | rising |
| 169 | Maldives | 260.02 | 2025 | up 50.7% | rising |
| 170 | Western Sahara | 241.47 | 2025 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 171 | Iceland | 237.21 | 2025 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 172 | Suriname | 236.98 | 2025 | up 10.8% | rising |
| 173 | Brunei Darussalam | 225.22 | 2025 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 174 | Bahamas | 222.59 | 2025 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 175 | Cape Verde | 199.41 | 2025 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 176 | Djibouti | 197.99 | 2025 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 177 | Belize | 167.97 | 2025 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 178 | Barbados | 141.73 | 2025 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 179 | New Caledonia | 116.8 | 2025 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 180 | Vanuatu | 114.7 | 2025 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 181 | French Polynesia | 106.56 | 2025 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 182 | Saint Lucia | 92.15 | 2025 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 183 | Guam | 73.66 | 2025 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 184 | Samoa | 54.89 | 2025 | down 11.9% | flat |
| 185 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 44.02 | 2025 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 186 | United States Virgin Islands | 33.84 | 2025 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 187 | Tonga | 32.95 | 2025 | down 9.0% | flat |
| 188 | Sao Tome and Principe | 31.87 | 2025 | up 27.7% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 3.60 million
- Chagai 80.93
- G20 2.90 million
- World excluding India and China 2.27 million
- Asia and the Pacific 2.04 million
- BRICS 1.80 million
- World excluding BRICS 1.79 million
- APEC 1.53 million
- World: Upper-middle income 1.37 million
- World: Lower-middle income 1.26 million
- Asia and the Pacific: Upper-middle income 967,634
- Asia and the Pacific: Lower-middle income 908,618
- Eastern Asia 868,437
- Southern Asia 795,891
- Southern Asia: Lower-middle income 760,386
- Eastern Asia: Upper-middle income 738,936
- World: High income 701,318
- World: Lower-middle income excluding India 666,195
- World: Upper-middle income excluding China 630,020
- Africa 575,858
- Sub-Saharan Africa 502,587
- Americas 498,060
- Europe and Central Asia 428,680
- G7 387,759
- South-Eastern Asia and the Pacific 370,682
- South-Eastern Asia 348,670
- ASEAN 348,045
- Europe and Central Asia: High income 326,224
- Latin America and the Caribbean 307,384
- Africa: Lower-middle income 306,061
- World: Low income 272,397
- Americas: Upper-middle income 270,887
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Upper-middle income 270,887
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income 257,043
- European Union 28 242,261
- Africa: Low income 234,564
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Low income 224,417
- Northern, Southern and Western Europe 214,295
- Eastern Africa 209,236
- Americas: High income 208,640
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by status in employment are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Classification of Status in Employment (ICSE-93). Data may have been regrouped from the national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ICSE. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.