Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa

Africa: Labor force (15-64 years), female was 193.43 million in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
193.43 million
Change on year
up 2.9%
Rank
1st
of 6 groups
All-time high
193.43 million
in 2011
All-time low
87.40 million
in 1990
Years of data
22
1990–2011

Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa, 1990–2011

050.0M100.0M150.0M200.0M1990200020111990: 87.4M1991: 89.8M1992: 93.1M1993: 96.2M1994: 99.8M1995: 102.9M1996: 106.1M1997: 109.4M1998: 112.9M1999: 116.6M2000: 139.1M2001: 143.5M2002: 147.8M2003: 153.1M2004: 158.3M2005: 163.0M2006: 167.5M2007: 172.8M2008: 178.1M2009: 183.0M2010: 188.0M2011: 193.4M

Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.

Analysis

Africa recorded 193.43 million for labor force (15-64 years), female in 2011. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa peaked at 193.43 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 87.40 million, in 1990.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa, year by year

Annual values for Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa, 1990 to 2011.
Year Value Change
1990 87.40 million —
1991 89.76 million +2.7%
1992 93.07 million +3.7%
1993 96.23 million +3.4%
1994 99.78 million +3.7%
1995 102.88 million +3.1%
1996 106.13 million +3.2%
1997 109.44 million +3.1%
1998 112.86 million +3.1%
1999 116.55 million +3.3%
2000 139.08 million +19.3%
2001 143.46 million +3.1%
2002 147.82 million +3.0%
2003 153.06 million +3.5%
2004 158.26 million +3.4%
2005 163.02 million +3.0%
2006 167.54 million +2.8%
2007 172.81 million +3.1%
2008 178.12 million +3.1%
2009 182.97 million +2.7%
2010 187.99 million +2.7%
2011 193.43 million +2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 101.41 million 87.40 million 116.55 million 10
2000s 160.61 million 139.08 million 182.97 million 10
2010s 190.71 million 187.99 million 193.43 million 2

Countries ranked near Africa

  1. 1 Nigeria 23.65 million compare
  2. 2 Ethiopia 22.23 million compare
  3. 3 Democratic Republic of Congo 14.42 million compare
  4. 4 Tanzania 12.56 million compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa?
Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa was 193.43 million in 2011, according to International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
What is the highest labor force (15-64 years), female recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 193.43 million in 2011.
What is the lowest labor force (15-64 years), female recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 87.40 million in 1990.
How does Africa rank for labor force (15-64 years), female?
Africa ranks 1st out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is labor force (15-64 years), female rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database, published as part of Labor force (15-64 years), female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force (15-64 years), female in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-15-64-years-female/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force (15-64 years), female
Source
International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
58 places, 1,276 data points, 1990–2011
Last refreshed

The labor force comprising people ages 15 to 64 who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.