Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World
Arab World: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 26.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World stood at 26.4%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World peaked at 26.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 1991.
That places Arab World 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 21.3% | — |
| 1992 | 21.5% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 21.6% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 21.9% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 21.9% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 22.5% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 22.4% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 22.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 22.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 22.1% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 21.9% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 21.8% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 22.2% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 22.9% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 23.7% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 24.4% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 24.7% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 25.3% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 24.9% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 24.7% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 25.1% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 25.5% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 25.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 25.6% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 24.9% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 24.8% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 26.3% | +7.0% |
| 2024 | 26.4% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 26.4% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.0% | 21.3% | 22.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.8% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.2% | 24.7% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.6% | 24.6% | 26.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More work & labour data for Arab World
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 20.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 48.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 30.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 10.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 39.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 46.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Arab World was 26.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 26.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 1991.
- How does Arab World rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- Arab World ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).