Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 68.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 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 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 68.9%.
That represents a change of down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 71.9% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 66.0%, in 2020.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 6th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 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 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 71.4% | — |
| 1991 | 71.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 71.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 71.6% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 71.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 71.8% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 71.9% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.6% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 71.6% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 71.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 71.6% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 71.6% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 71.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 71.2% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 71.0% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 70.2% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 70.4% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 69.7% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 70.4% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 69.5% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 69.1% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 68.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 68.0% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 67.5% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 67.1% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 66.0% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 66.0% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 66.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 68.9% | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 68.9% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 68.9% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.7% | 71.4% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.4% | 70.6% | 71.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.1% | 67.1% | 70.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.5% | 66.0% | 68.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 3 Solomon Islands 84.3% compare
- 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 83.7% compare
- 5 Nigeria 82.5% compare
- 6 Cambodia 82.4% compare
- 7 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 82.2% compare
- 8 Uganda 80.0% compare
- 9 Niger 79.7% compare
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, 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, female (% of female population ages) 63.7% (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, total (% of total population ages) 70.4% (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 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Africa Eastern and Southern was 68.9% 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 15+) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 71.9% in 1996.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.0% in 2020.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. 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+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.