Labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya
Kenya: Labor force (15-64 years), total was 18.17 million in 2011. ▲ Rising
Labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya, 1990–2011
Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
Analysis
In 2011, labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya stood at 18.17 million. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 34.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya peaked at 18.17 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 8.50 million, in 1990.
That places Kenya 7th out of 52 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.80 million | 8.50 million | 11.03 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.95 million | 13.26 million | 17.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.89 million | 17.61 million | 18.17 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More work & labour data for Kenya
- 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+) 67.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 68.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya?
- Labor force (15-64 years), total in Kenya was 18.17 million in 2011, according to International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
- What is the highest labor force (15-64 years), total recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 18.17 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest labor force (15-64 years), total recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.50 million in 1990.
- How does Kenya rank for labor force (15-64 years), total?
- Kenya ranks 7th out of 52 countries with data for 2011.
- Is labor force (15-64 years), total rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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), total. 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.