Labor force participation rate by age in BRICS
BRICS: Labor force participation rate by age was 39.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate by age in BRICS, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
BRICS recorded 39.2% for labor force participation rate by age in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in BRICS peaked at 62.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 37.5%, in 2020.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate by age in BRICS, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.5% | — |
| 1991 | 61.8% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 61.0% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 60.0% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 59.2% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 58.5% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 57.4% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 56.6% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 55.7% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 55.1% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 54.2% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 53.6% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 53.0% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 52.6% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 51.9% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 50.9% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 50.0% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 48.9% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 45.4% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 44.6% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 44.0% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 43.1% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 42.3% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 41.6% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 40.9% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 40.1% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 39.4% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 37.9% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 38.6% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 38.9% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 39.2% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.9% | 55.7% | 62.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.8% | 47.8% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 39.4% | 46.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.4% | 37.5% | 39.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near BRICS
- 2 Iceland 82.2% compare
- 3 North Korea 78.5% compare
- 4 Madagascar 72.5% compare
- 5 Niger 71.2% compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 70.8% compare
- 7 Tanzania 70.8% compare
- 8 Cambodia 70.6% compare
More work & labour data for BRICS
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1.92 million (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1.28 million (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 18,372 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.74 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.2 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 43,354 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.16 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.57 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.6807 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate by age in BRICS?
- Labor force participation rate by age in BRICS was 39.2% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in BRICS?
- The highest recorded value was 62.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in BRICS?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.5% in 2020.
- How does BRICS rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- BRICS ranks 5th out of 7 groups with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in BRICS?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this BRICS data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).