Employment in Western Sahara
Western Sahara: Employment was 241.47 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in Western Sahara, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in Western Sahara is 241.47, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in Western Sahara peaked at 241.47 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 47.45, in 1991.
Western Sahara ranks 170th of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in Western Sahara, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 47.45 | — |
| 1992 | 48.71 | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 50.04 | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 51.86 | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 55.27 | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 61.05 | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 67.3 | +10.2% |
| 1998 | 73.57 | +9.3% |
| 1999 | 79.83 | +8.5% |
| 2000 | 86.21 | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 92.45 | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 98.9 | +7.0% |
| 2003 | 106.17 | +7.4% |
| 2004 | 113.82 | +7.2% |
| 2005 | 121.46 | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 129.55 | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 137.41 | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 144.72 | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 152.44 | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 159.78 | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 167.09 | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 174.44 | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 182.46 | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 189.59 | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 195.05 | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 200.83 | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 205.87 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 211.68 | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 217.42 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 214.74 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 220.37 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 229.6 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 234.7 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 237.51 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 241.47 | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 59.45 | 47.45 | 79.83 | 9 |
| 2000s | 118.31 | 86.21 | 152.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 190.42 | 159.78 | 217.42 | 10 |
| 2020s | 229.73 | 214.74 | 241.47 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Sahara
More work & labour data for Western Sahara
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1328 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3513 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 890.2 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 91.33 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 398.6 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 432.7 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 831.29 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0693 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in Western Sahara?
- Employment in Western Sahara was 241.47 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in Western Sahara?
- The highest recorded value was 241.47 in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in Western Sahara?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.45 in 1991.
- How does Western Sahara rank for employment?
- Western Sahara ranks 170th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in Western Sahara?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Sahara data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
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 economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.