Employment in services (% of total employment) in Arab World
Arab World: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 60.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Arab World, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Arab World recorded 60.1% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Arab World peaked at 60.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 44.8%, in 1991.
Arab World ranks 16th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 44.8% | — |
| 1992 | 45.0% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 46.1% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 46.4% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 46.5% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 46.7% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 47.6% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 48.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 48.6% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 49.1% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 50.1% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 51.1% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 50.8% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 51.1% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 51.4% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 51.5% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 52.0% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 52.7% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 53.0% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 53.9% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 54.6% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 55.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 55.6% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 56.3% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 56.6% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 56.5% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 57.5% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 57.7% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 58.1% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 58.4% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 59.1% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 59.8% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 59.9% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 60.1% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.7% | 44.8% | 48.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 51.1% | 49.1% | 52.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.7% | 53.0% | 57.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.2% | 58.1% | 60.1% | 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 services (% of total employment) in Arab World?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Arab World was 60.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 60.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.8% in 1991.
- How does Arab World rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Arab World ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. 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 services (% 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 services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).