Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in Kenya
Kenya: 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 Kenya, 1969–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Kenya is 36.2%, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Kenya peaked at 36.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 1970.
That places Kenya 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 43 years of available data.
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 14.9% | — |
| 1970 | 14.2% | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 14.8% | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 14.5% | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 14.3% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 15.9% | +11.2% |
| 1975 | 15.8% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 16.1% | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 16.2% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 15.9% | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 16.5% | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 17.4% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 17.4% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 17.6% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 18.4% | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 19.8% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 20.4% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 21.4% | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 22.0% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 22.5% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 23.1% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 23.8% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 25.2% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 26.8% | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 28.2% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 29.3% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 30.0% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 30.8% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 31.1% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 31.4% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 31.7% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 31.8% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 32.6% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 32.6% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 32.9% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 33.5% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 34.1% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 35.0% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 35.5% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 36.2% | +2.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 36.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36.2%, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 36.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.7%, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 1 |
| 1970s | 15.4% | 14.2% | 16.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.1% | 17.4% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.2% | 22.0% | 30.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.7% | 31.1% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.9% | 35.5% | 36.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More work & labour data for Kenya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0073 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2281 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,185 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 51,282 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 53,727 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,468 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 104,196 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Kenya?
- Share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Kenya 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 Kenya?
- 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 Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita?
- Kenya 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 Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.