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Labor force participation rate by age in MENA

MENA: Labor force participation rate by age was 25.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
25.8%
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
7th
of 7 groups
All-time high
36.7%
in 1990
All-time low
24.6%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Labor force participation rate by age in MENA, 1990–2024

0102030401990200720241990: 36.7 %1991: 36.5 %1992: 36.5 %1993: 36.3 %1994: 36.1 %1995: 35.7 %1996: 35.1 %1997: 34.7 %1998: 34.3 %1999: 34.9 %2000: 34.1 %2001: 33.2 %2002: 33.4 %2003: 33.4 %2004: 33.3 %2005: 33.3 %2006: 32.8 %2007: 32 %2008: 31.6 %2009: 31.1 %2010: 30.6 %2011: 29.7 %2012: 29.7 %2013: 29.5 %2014: 29.1 %2015: 28.2 %2016: 28.1 %2017: 27.5 %2018: 26.4 %2019: 25.7 %2020: 24.6 %2021: 25 %2022: 25.2 %2023: 25.8 %2024: 25.8 %

Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for labor force participation rate by age in MENA is 25.8%, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in MENA peaked at 36.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 24.6%, in 2020.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 35.7% 34.3% 36.7% 10
2000s 32.8% 31.1% 34.1% 10
2010s 28.4% 25.7% 30.6% 10
2020s 25.3% 24.6% 25.8% 5

Countries ranked near MENA

  1. 4 Madagascar 72.5% compare
  2. 5 Niger 71.2% compare
  3. 6 Solomon Islands 70.8% compare
  4. 7 Tanzania 70.8% compare
  5. 8 Cambodia 70.6% compare
  6. 9 Australia 70.2% compare
  7. 10 Uganda 69.8% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More work & labour data for MENA

All data for MENA →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate by age in MENA?
Labor force participation rate by age in MENA was 25.8% 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 MENA?
The highest recorded value was 36.7% in 1990.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in MENA?
The lowest recorded value was 24.6% in 2020.
How does MENA rank for labor force participation rate by age?
MENA ranks 7th out of 7 groups with data for 2024.
Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in MENA?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this MENA 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.

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate by age
Unit
%
Source
International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
195 places, 6,816 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).