Labor force participation rate in Mozambique
Mozambique: Labor force participation rate was 78.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Mozambique, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Mozambique recorded 78.7% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Mozambique peaked at 86.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 78.1%, in 2021.
That places Mozambique 10th 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 Mozambique, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 84.1% | — |
| 1991 | 84.1% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 84.1% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 84.0% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 84.0% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 84.0% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 83.9% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 83.9% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 84.3% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 84.7% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 85.0% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 85.4% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 85.7% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 86.0% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 85.5% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 85.0% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 84.5% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 84.0% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 83.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 82.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 82.2% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 81.6% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 81.0% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 80.4% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 79.7% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 79.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 79.0% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 79.0% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 78.9% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 78.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 78.1% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 78.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 78.7% | -0.1% |
Mozambique compared with similar countries
- Mozambique's 78.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 67.0%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mozambique's 78.7% 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 | 84.1% | 83.9% | 84.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.7% | 82.8% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.0% | 78.9% | 82.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.6% | 78.1% | 78.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
More work & labour data for Mozambique
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3732 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3933 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6952 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 37,473 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 30,302 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 53,829 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 50,517 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 104,347 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Mozambique?
- Labor force participation rate in Mozambique was 78.7% 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 Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 86.0% in 2003.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.1% in 2021.
- How does Mozambique rank for labor force participation rate?
- Mozambique ranks 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mozambique 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).