Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 26.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 26.6% for employment in industry (% of total employment) in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 26.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 24.0%, in 1999.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 10th 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 25.0% | — |
| 1992 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 24.5% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 24.1% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 24.5% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 24.8% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 24.0% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 24.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 24.2% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 24.2% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 24.1% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 24.1% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 24.2% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 24.5% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 24.8% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 25.0% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 25.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 25.3% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 25.9% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 25.5% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 25.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 25.8% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 26.1% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 26.0% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 26.3% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 26.5% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 26.4% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 26.3% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 26.6% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 26.7% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 26.6% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.5% | 24.0% | 25.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 24.6% | 24.1% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.0% | 25.5% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.5% | 26.2% | 26.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 47.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 14.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 21.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 29.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 50.2% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 26.6% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.0% in 1999.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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).