Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita was 36.2% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in China, 1952–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2011, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China stood at 36.2%. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 36.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1955.
That places China 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.9% | 8.3% | 18.0% | 8 |
| 1960s | 11.1% | 9.4% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.2% | 9.2% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.1% | 13.3% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.6% | 18.8% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.2% | 27.9% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.7% | 35.1% | 36.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More work & labour data for China
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 69.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 69.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in China was 36.2% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 36.2% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1955.
- How does China rank for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
- Is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The vertical axis shows historical estimates of the employment share in the service sector. The horizontal axis shows GDP per capita, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.