Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) was 75.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 75.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 79.5% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 73.7%, in 2020.
That places Africa Eastern and Southern 41st out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 79.2% | — |
| 1991 | 79.2% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 79.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 79.1% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 79.1% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 79.5% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 79.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 79.2% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 79.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 78.9% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 78.8% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 78.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 78.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 78.3% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 78.1% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 78.0% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 77.5% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 77.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 77.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 76.7% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 77.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 76.5% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 76.2% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 75.8% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 75.3% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 75.0% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 74.8% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 73.7% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 73.9% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 74.3% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 75.5% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 75.4% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 75.4% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 79.3% | 79.1% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.5% | 77.5% | 79.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.2% | 74.8% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.7% | 73.7% | 75.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
More work & labour data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 48.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 70.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 50.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 65.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 63.7% (2025)
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) 5.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Africa Eastern and Southern was 75.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 79.5% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.7% in 2020.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64)?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 41st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.