Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 7.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea is 7.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea peaked at 9.8% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 2013.
Papua New Guinea ranks 175th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.4% | — |
| 1992 | 9.1% | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 9.8% | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 9.8% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 9.2% | -5.7% |
| 1996 | 9.5% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 8.8% | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 8.3% | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 7.6% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 7.4% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 7.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 7.4% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 7.5% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 7.0% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 7.9% | +11.9% |
| 2015 | 8.1% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 7.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 7.6% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 7.5% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 7.7% | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 7.9% | +2.2% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 7.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.8%, 44% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 7.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 19.9%, 39% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.0% | 8.3% | 9.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.5% | 7.2% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.6% | 7.0% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 172 Liberia 8.3% compare
- 173 Tanzania, United Republic of 8.1% compare
- 174 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8.0% compare
- 176 Luxembourg 7.6% compare
- 177 Solomon Islands 7.6% compare
- 178 Lao People's Democratic Republic 7.4% compare
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Papua New Guinea was 7.9% 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 9.8% in 1993.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 2013.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 175th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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).