Employment rate in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Employment rate was 61.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
61.4%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
64th
of 186 countries
All-time high
63.6%
in 1991
All-time low
58.6%
in 2022
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Zimbabwe, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rate in Zimbabwe stood at 61.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Zimbabwe peaked at 63.6% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 58.6%, in 2022.
Zimbabwe ranks 64th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Employment rate in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 63.6% | — |
| 1992 | 63.6% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 63.6% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 63.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 63.0% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 62.3% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 61.6% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 61.7% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 61.8% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 61.9% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 62.0% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 62.2% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 62.4% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 62.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 62.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 62.4% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 62.2% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 62.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 62.3% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 62.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 62.8% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 62.9% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 63.0% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 62.6% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 62.2% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 61.4% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 60.9% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 59.1% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 59.2% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 58.6% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 61.4% | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 61.3% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 61.4% | +0.1% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 61.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 61.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.8%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.8% | 61.6% | 63.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 62.3% | 61.9% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.2% | 60.9% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.2% | 58.6% | 61.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
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 rate in Zimbabwe?
- Employment rate in Zimbabwe was 61.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 63.6% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.6% in 2022.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for employment rate?
- Zimbabwe ranks 64th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.