Labor force participation rate in Mauritania
Mauritania: Labor force participation rate was 40.77 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
40.77
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
176th
of 186 countries
All-time high
46.48
in 1990
All-time low
40.55
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Mauritania, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Mauritania stood at 40.77.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Mauritania peaked at 46.48 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 40.55, in 2020.
Mauritania ranks 176th 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.
Labor force participation rate in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 46.48 | — |
| 1991 | 46.43 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 46.38 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 46.34 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 46.29 | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 46.24 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 46.19 | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 46.14 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 46.1 | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 46.05 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 46 | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 45.8 | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 45.59 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 45.39 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 45.18 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 44.98 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 44.77 | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 44.57 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 44.37 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 44.16 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 43.96 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 43.75 | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 43.55 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 43.06 | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 42.57 | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 42.08 | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 41.59 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 41.1 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 41.08 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 41.05 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 40.55 | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 40.7 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 40.94 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 40.93 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 40.9 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 40.77 | -0.3% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 40.77 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.67, 71% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 40.77 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.31, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.26 | 46.05 | 46.48 | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.08 | 44.16 | 46 | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.38 | 41.05 | 43.96 | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.8 | 40.55 | 40.94 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More work & labour data for Mauritania
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6195 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.6211 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6179 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0646 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,532 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,433 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 8,606 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 8,513 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 17,118 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Mauritania?
- Labor force participation rate in Mauritania was 40.77 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 46.48 in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.55 in 2020.
- How does Mauritania rank for labor force participation rate?
- Mauritania ranks 176th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from 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).