Employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Employment in services (% of total employment) was 47.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) stood at 47.8%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 47.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 39.0%, in 1992.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 25th 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 39.2% | — |
| 1992 | 39.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 40.2% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 40.0% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 40.8% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 40.9% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 42.3% | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 42.3% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 42.5% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 41.9% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 42.4% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 43.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 42.7% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 42.9% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 42.8% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 42.8% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 42.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 43.6% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 44.1% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 44.6% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 44.8% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 45.3% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 45.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 46.0% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 47.3% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 47.1% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 46.6% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 46.7% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 47.2% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 47.6% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 47.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.8% | 39.0% | 42.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.8% | 41.9% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 43.7% | 47.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.2% | 46.6% | 47.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 17.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 47.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 13.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 44.9% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 47.8% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 47.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.0% in 1992.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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).