Employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Employment in agriculture vs. urban population was 35.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh stood at 35.3%. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh peaked at 64.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 35.3%, in 2023.
That places Bangladesh 47th out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 64.2% | — |
| 1992 | 64.1% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 63.9% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 63.6% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 63.4% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 63.0% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 62.5% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 62.0% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 61.4% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 60.9% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 58.1% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 55.0% | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 51.7% | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 50.0% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 48.1% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 47.9% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 47.8% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 47.5% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 47.3% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 46.7% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 45.9% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 45.1% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 44.4% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 43.5% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 40.6% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 39.6% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 38.5% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 38.0% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 35.7% | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 35.3% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.1% | 61.4% | 64.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 51.5% | 47.5% | 60.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.4% | 38.5% | 47.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.6% | 35.3% | 38.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More work & labour data for Bangladesh
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4985 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4763 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5215 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 117,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 84,090 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 104,333 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 104,263 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 208,597 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh?
- Employment in agriculture vs. urban population in Bangladesh was 35.3% in 2023, according to ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment in agriculture vs. urban population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 64.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture vs. urban population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.3% in 2023.
- How does Bangladesh rank for employment in agriculture vs. urban population?
- Bangladesh ranks 47th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is employment in agriculture vs. urban population rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment in agriculture vs. urban population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The share of people employed in agriculture includes working-age people with a job in farming, forestry, fishing, and related activities, including those temporarily absent.