Labor force participation rate in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Labor force participation rate was 37.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Afghanistan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Afghanistan is 37.5%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Afghanistan peaked at 47.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 37.5%, in 2025.
Afghanistan ranks 181st of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.9% | 46.6% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.6% | 46.5% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 43.8% | 47.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.7% | 37.5% | 41.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 37.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 69.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 7.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 5.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 38.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 71.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 5.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Afghanistan?
- Labor force participation rate in Afghanistan was 37.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 47.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.5% in 2025.
- How does Afghanistan rank for labor force participation rate?
- Afghanistan ranks 181st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).