Labor force participation rate in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Labor force participation rate was 68.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
68.5%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
33rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
82.1%
in 2001
All-time low
68.3%
in 2021
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia stood at 68.5%.
That represents a change of down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Ethiopia peaked at 82.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 68.3%, in 2021.
Ethiopia ranks 33rd of 186 countries 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 in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 81.8% | — |
| 1991 | 81.8% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 81.8% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 81.8% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 81.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 81.9% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 81.9% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 82.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 82.0% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 82.0% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 82.1% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 82.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 82.1% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 82.1% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 81.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 81.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 81.3% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.2% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 79.6% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 78.0% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 76.4% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 74.8% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 73.2% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 71.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 69.4% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 68.3% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 68.5% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 68.5% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 68.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 68.5% | -0.0% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 68.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 67.0%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 68.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 81.9% | 81.8% | 82.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.9% | 81.6% | 82.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.9% | 71.6% | 81.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.6% | 68.3% | 69.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More work & labour data for Ethiopia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4959 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4604 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1765 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 74,537 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 116,333 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 183,282 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 184,008 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 367,290 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Ethiopia?
- Labor force participation rate in Ethiopia was 68.5% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 82.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.3% in 2021.
- How does Ethiopia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Ethiopia ranks 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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).