Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen
Yemen: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 34.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen is 34.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen peaked at 47.7% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 33.1%, in 2015.
That places Yemen 185th out of 187 countries 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, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.8% | — |
| 1991 | 45.7% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 45.7% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 45.7% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 45.7% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 46.1% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 46.5% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 46.9% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 47.3% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 47.7% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 46.9% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 46.1% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 45.3% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 44.6% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 43.9% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 43.4% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 42.8% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 42.3% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 41.9% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 41.4% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 41.0% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 40.2% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 38.8% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 38.1% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | -13.3% |
| 2016 | 33.2% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 33.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 33.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 33.4% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 33.2% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 33.9% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 34.0% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 34.1% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 34.0% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.3% | 45.7% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.9% | 41.4% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.4% | 33.1% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.7% | 33.2% | 34.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
- 182 Afghanistan 38.4% compare
- 183 Sudan 37.9% compare
- 184 Somalia 34.8% compare
- 186 Djibouti 33.3% compare
- 187 Sao Tome and Principe 23.4% compare
More work & labour data for Yemen
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2636 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2778 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4814 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 27,630 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 20,674 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 54,803 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 55,233 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 110,036 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Yemen was 34.0% 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 47.7% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.1% in 2015.
- How does Yemen rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Yemen ranks 185th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Yemen 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.