Employment in services (% of total employment) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 33.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Least developed countries, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 33.3% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Least developed countries peaked at 34.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 1992.
That places Least developed countries 45th out of 47 groups 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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 21.3% | — |
| 1992 | 21.3% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 21.5% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 21.7% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 22.2% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 22.9% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 23.0% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 23.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 23.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 23.8% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 25.3% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 25.8% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 26.2% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 27.1% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 27.5% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 27.8% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 28.6% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 29.5% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 29.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 30.2% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 30.8% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 31.6% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 32.5% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 33.2% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 34.0% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 32.6% | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 32.2% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 32.7% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 32.5% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 33.0% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 33.3% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.2% | 21.3% | 23.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 25.8% | 23.1% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 28.6% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.7% | 32.2% | 33.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More work & labour data for Least developed countries
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 53.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 63.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 45.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 49.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 52.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 54.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 65.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Least developed countries?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Least developed countries was 33.3% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 34.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 1992.
- How does Least developed countries rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Least developed countries ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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).