Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ was 71.7% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Zimbabwe, 1982–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 71.7% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
The figure is up 13.0% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Zimbabwe peaked at 84.5% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 63.4%, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 29th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 63.5% | — |
| 1987 | 71.5% | +12.6% |
| 1997 | 73.1% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 71.1% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 82.7% | +16.3% |
| 2011 | 82.4% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 66.8% | -18.9% |
| 2014 | 84.5% | +26.5% |
| 2019 | 65.8% | -22.2% |
| 2021 | 65.3% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 67.7% | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 63.4% | -6.3% |
| 2025 | 71.7% | +13.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 71.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.5%, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 71.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 65.3%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 67.5% | 63.5% | 71.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 72.1% | 71.1% | 73.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 82.7% | 82.7% | 82.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 74.9% | 65.8% | 84.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 66.7% | 63.4% | 71.7% | 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Zimbabwe?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Zimbabwe was 71.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 84.5% in 2014.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.4% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Zimbabwe ranks 29th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.