Employment to population ratio in Iran
Iran: Employment to population ratio was 37.56 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
37.56
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
171st
of 186 countries
All-time high
41.59
in 1991
All-time low
35.54
in 2011
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment to population ratio in Iran, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, employment to population ratio in Iran stood at 37.56.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio in Iran peaked at 41.59 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 35.54, in 2011.
That places Iran 171st out of 186 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 to population ratio in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 41.59 | — |
| 1992 | 41.37 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 40.95 | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 40.5 | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 40.18 | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 39.93 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 39.68 | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 39.4 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 39.09 | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 38.97 | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 38.85 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 38.87 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 39.78 | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 40.82 | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 40.67 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 40.08 | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 39.65 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 37.78 | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 37.82 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 36.51 | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 35.54 | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 36.64 | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 36.79 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 36.52 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 37.26 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 37.72 | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 38.82 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 38.98 | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 39.3 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 37.35 | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 37.23 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 36.88 | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 38.14 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 37.91 | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 37.56 | -0.9% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 37.56 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.68, 67% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iran's 37.56 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 38.97, 96% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.3 | 39.09 | 41.59 | 9 |
| 2000s | 39.33 | 37.78 | 40.82 | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.41 | 35.54 | 39.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.51 | 36.88 | 38.14 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 168 Lebanon 38.65 compare
- 169 Tunisia 38.39 compare
- 170 South Africa 37.58 compare
- 172 Mauritania 36.56 compare
- 173 Algeria 36.04 compare
- 174 Tajikistan 35.62 compare
More work & labour data for Iran
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 44,188 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 40.34 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,874 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 8.53 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.43 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 57,320 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 20,416 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 36.89 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.89 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.574 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment to population ratio in Iran?
- Employment to population ratio in Iran was 37.56 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment to population ratio recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 41.59 in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.54 in 2011.
- How does Iran rank for employment to population ratio?
- Iran ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Employment to population ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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