Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia

Zambia: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 59.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
59.7%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
81st
of 178 countries
All-time high
68.7%
in 2012
All-time low
39.6%
in 1990
Years of data
19
1986–2024

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia, 1986–2024

02040601986200520241986: 621990: 39.61991: 49.31996: 56.41998: 542000: 48.52005: 66.82008: 68.62010: 53.62012: 68.72015: 44.72017: 59.82018: 55.52019: 56.22020: 57.22021: 572022: 562023: 58.32024: 59.7

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia is 59.7%, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 33.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia peaked at 68.7% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 39.6%, in 1990.

That places Zambia 81st out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) in Zambia, 1986 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1986 62.0%
1990 39.6% -36.1%
1991 49.3% +24.4%
1996 56.4% +14.4%
1998 54.0% -4.3%
2000 48.5% -10.2%
2005 66.8% +37.7%
2008 68.6% +2.7%
2010 53.6% -21.9%
2012 68.7% +28.2%
2015 44.7% -34.9%
2017 59.8% +33.8%
2018 55.5% -7.2%
2019 56.2% +1.3%
2020 57.2% +1.7%
2021 57.0% -0.4%
2022 56.0% -1.8%
2023 58.3% +4.2%
2024 59.7% +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 62.0% 62.0% 62.0% 1
1990s 49.8% 39.6% 56.4% 4
2000s 61.3% 48.5% 68.6% 3
2010s 56.4% 44.7% 68.7% 6
2020s 57.6% 56.0% 59.7% 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 78 Armenia 59.9% compare
  2. 79 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 59.8% compare
  3. 80 United States of America 59.7% compare
  4. 82 Brazil 59.5% compare
  5. 83 Czechia 59.3% compare
  6. 83 Germany 59.3% compare

See the full ranking of 209 places →

More work & labour data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia?
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia was 59.7% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 68.7% in 2012.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 39.6% in 1990.
How does Zambia rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Zambia ranks 81st out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-national-estimate/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
209 places, 4,960 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.