Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) … national in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) … national was 53.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Zimbabwe, 1982–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 53.5% for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 22.9% on the previous year and down 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Zimbabwe peaked at 75.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 43.5%, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 36th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) … national in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 55.5% | — |
| 1986 | 59.6% | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 53.1% | -11.0% |
| 1997 | 54.3% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 52.2% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 74.1% | +42.1% |
| 2011 | 72.7% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 48.3% | -33.6% |
| 2014 | 75.4% | +56.3% |
| 2019 | 50.1% | -33.6% |
| 2021 | 48.8% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 45.6% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 48.3% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 43.5% | -9.9% |
| 2025 | 53.5% | +22.9% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 53.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.2%, 1.4× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 53.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.4%, 1.3× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 56.0% | 53.1% | 59.6% | 3 |
| 1990s | 53.2% | 52.2% | 54.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 74.1% | 74.1% | 74.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 61.6% | 48.3% | 75.4% | 4 |
| 2020s | 47.9% | 43.5% | 53.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More work & labour data for Zimbabwe
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1727 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2032 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,627 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,032 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,130 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 18,036 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 37,167 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Zimbabwe?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Zimbabwe was 53.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 75.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.5% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%)?
- Zimbabwe ranks 36th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.