Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 30.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates stood at 30.6%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 43.2% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 28.9%, in 2020.
That places United Arab Emirates 19th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 43.0% | — |
| 1992 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 42.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 43.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 43.0% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 43.2% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 43.1% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 42.8% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 42.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 41.2% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 38.5% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 37.2% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 34.9% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 33.7% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 32.4% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 32.2% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 31.8% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 31.5% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 31.0% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 30.9% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 30.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 31.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 31.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 30.5% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 30.2% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 30.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 28.9% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 30.9% | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 30.7% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 30.8% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 30.6% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 30.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 1.5× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 30.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.2%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.0% | 42.8% | 43.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 36.8% | 32.2% | 42.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 30.0% | 31.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 28.9% | 30.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 16 Belarus 31.1% compare
- 17 North Macedonia 30.6% compare
- 18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 30.6% compare
- 20 Hungary 30.5% compare
- 21 Poland 30.0% compare
- 22 Palestine, State of 29.9% compare
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates was 30.6% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 43.2% in 1997.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.9% in 2020.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 19th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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).