Labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Labor force (15-64 years), female was 177.43 million in 2011. ▲ Rising
Labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1990–2011
Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 177.43 million, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 34.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 177.43 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 79.53 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 79.53 million | — |
| 1991 | 82.31 million | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 85.29 million | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 88.29 million | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 91.38 million | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 94.45 million | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 97.50 million | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 100.64 million | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 103.88 million | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 107.12 million | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 127.80 million | +19.3% |
| 2001 | 132.04 million | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 136.43 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 140.91 million | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 145.49 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 149.79 million | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 153.95 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 158.34 million | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 163.24 million | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 167.71 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 172.42 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 177.43 million | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 93.04 million | 79.53 million | 107.12 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 147.57 million | 127.80 million | 167.71 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 174.93 million | 172.42 million | 177.43 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 1 Nigeria 23.65 million compare
- 2 Ethiopia 22.23 million compare
- 3 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.42 million compare
- 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 12.56 million compare
- 5 South Africa 9.29 million compare
- 6 Kenya 8.37 million compare
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 49.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 75.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 70.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 53.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 71.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 51.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Labor force (15-64 years), female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 177.43 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 177.43 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest labor force (15-64 years), female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.53 million in 1990.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for labor force (15-64 years), female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 3rd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
- Is labor force (15-64 years), female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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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About this data
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.