Employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 49.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific is 49.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 49.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 25.9%, in 1991.
That places East Asia & Pacific 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 25.9% | — |
| 1992 | 26.6% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 27.8% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 29.1% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 30.6% | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 31.5% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 32.1% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 32.5% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 32.7% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 31.7% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 33.5% | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 34.2% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 34.6% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 35.9% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 36.5% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 37.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 39.0% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 39.5% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 40.3% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 44.0% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 45.4% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 46.1% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 46.5% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 47.1% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 47.8% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 48.3% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 48.6% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 49.1% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 49.5% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 49.9% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.9% | 25.9% | 32.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 35.9% | 31.7% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.0% | 39.5% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.9% | 48.3% | 49.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
More work & labour data for East Asia & Pacific
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 46.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 58.1% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific was 49.9% 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 East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.9% in 1991.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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).