Labor force participation rate in Burundi
Burundi: Labor force participation rate was 78.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Burundi, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Burundi stood at 78.3%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Burundi peaked at 90.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 77.4%, in 2006.
That places Burundi 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Burundi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 90.1% | — |
| 1991 | 89.6% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 89.0% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 88.3% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 87.5% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 86.9% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 86.1% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 85.1% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 84.2% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 83.4% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 82.7% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 81.9% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 81.0% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 80.2% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 79.3% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 78.4% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 77.4% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 77.7% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 77.9% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 78.2% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 78.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 78.6% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 78.7% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 78.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 78.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 79.5% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 79.9% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 80.1% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 80.0% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 79.7% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 78.5% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 79.1% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 79.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 78.8% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 78.5% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 78.3% | -0.3% |
Burundi compared with similar countries
- Burundi's 78.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 67.0%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Burundi's 78.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 87.0% | 83.4% | 90.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.5% | 77.4% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.3% | 78.4% | 80.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.7% | 78.3% | 79.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More work & labour data for Burundi
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2923 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2698 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3134 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 4.44 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,183 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 18,579 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,365 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 18,509 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 37,874 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Burundi?
- Labor force participation rate in Burundi was 78.3% 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 Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 90.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.4% in 2006.
- How does Burundi rank for labor force participation rate?
- Burundi ranks 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Burundi 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.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).