Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 41.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) 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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) stood at 41.0%.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 43.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 39.9%, in 2020.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 46th out of 47 groups 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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 43.9% | — |
| 1992 | 43.8% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 43.5% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 43.4% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 42.8% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 43.3% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 43.5% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 43.3% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 43.5% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 43.2% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 42.9% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 42.6% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 42.8% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 43.4% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 43.4% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 43.5% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 43.6% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 43.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 43.5% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 43.0% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 42.4% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 42.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 42.5% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 42.2% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 41.8% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 41.3% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 41.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 39.9% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 40.4% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 40.7% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 41.2% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 41.0% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 41.0% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.4% | 42.8% | 43.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 42.6% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.3% | 41.3% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.7% | 39.9% | 41.2% | 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 for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (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, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 41.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 43.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.9% in 2020.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.