Employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 34.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 34.2% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe peaked at 39.5% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 21.0%, in 2008.
That places Zimbabwe 168th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 38.1% | — |
| 1992 | 37.3% | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 37.0% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 38.0% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 38.3% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 39.1% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 39.3% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 39.5% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 38.9% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 36.7% | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 34.7% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 31.4% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 27.9% | -11.2% |
| 2004 | 25.3% | -9.4% |
| 2005 | 23.8% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 22.6% | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 21.9% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 21.0% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 22.7% | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | +9.0% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 25.4% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 25.4% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 25.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 26.4% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 26.4% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 29.1% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 32.9% | +13.2% |
| 2022 | 34.4% | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 33.2% | -3.5% |
| 2024 | 33.4% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 34.2% | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.4% | 37.0% | 39.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 26.8% | 21.0% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.6% | 24.7% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.8% | 29.1% | 34.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 165 Zambia 35.2% compare
- 166 Equatorial Guinea 34.7% compare
- 167 South Sudan 34.6% compare
- 169 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 33.5% compare
- 170 Ethiopia 33.4% compare
- 171 India 32.6% compare
More work & labour data for Zimbabwe
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1727 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2032 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,627 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,032 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,130 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 18,036 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 37,167 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Zimbabwe was 34.2% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 39.5% in 1998.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.0% in 2008.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Zimbabwe ranks 168th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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).