Employment in services (% of total employment) in China
China: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 46.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in China, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in services (% of total employment) in China stood at 46.5%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in China peaked at 46.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 18.9%, in 1991.
That places China 142nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.9% | — |
| 1992 | 19.8% | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 21.2% | +7.1% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 24.8% | +7.8% |
| 1996 | 26.0% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 26.4% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 26.7% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 26.9% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 25.3% | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 27.7% | +9.4% |
| 2002 | 28.6% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 29.3% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 30.6% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 31.4% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 32.2% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 32.4% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 33.2% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 34.1% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 34.6% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 35.7% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 36.1% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 38.5% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 40.6% | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 42.4% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 42.9% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 43.3% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 43.9% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 44.5% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 45.3% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 45.6% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 45.0% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 45.8% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 46.2% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 46.5% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.7% | 18.9% | 26.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 30.5% | 25.3% | 34.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.3% | 34.6% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.7% | 45.0% | 46.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More work & labour data for China
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.74 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.0615 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.12 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 275,362 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 319,567 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 326,230 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 645,797 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in China?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in China was 46.5% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 46.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.9% in 1991.
- How does China rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- China ranks 142nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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).