Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 70.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 70.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 73.1% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 67.2%, in 2020.
That places Africa Eastern and Southern 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 72.6% | — |
| 1991 | 72.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 72.8% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 72.8% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 72.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 73.1% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 73.1% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 73.1% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 73.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 73.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 72.9% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 72.9% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 72.8% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 72.8% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 72.7% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 72.5% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 72.3% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 71.9% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 71.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 71.7% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 70.9% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 71.7% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 70.8% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 70.4% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 69.2% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 68.8% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 68.4% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 67.2% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 67.3% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 67.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 70.3% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.9% | 72.6% | 73.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.6% | 71.9% | 72.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.3% | 68.4% | 71.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.9% | 67.2% | 70.4% | 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, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (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, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Africa Eastern and Southern was 70.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 73.1% in 1996.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.2% in 2020.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. 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, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.