Labor force participation rate in Somalia
Somalia: Labor force participation rate was 33.85 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
33.85
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
183rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
34.5
in 2008
All-time low
33.71
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Somalia, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Somalia is 33.85, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Somalia peaked at 34.5 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 33.71, in 2020.
That places Somalia 183rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Labor force participation rate in Somalia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 34 | — |
| 1991 | 33.98 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 33.86 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 33.83 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 33.88 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 33.92 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 33.96 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 33.99 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 34.03 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 34.06 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 34.09 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 34.11 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 34.14 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 34.18 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 34.22 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 34.3 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 34.41 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 34.48 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 34.5 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 34.47 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 34.44 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 34.34 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 34.23 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 34.2 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 34.18 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 34.16 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 34.13 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 34.1 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 34.06 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 34.03 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 33.71 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 33.73 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 33.92 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 33.91 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 33.9 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 33.85 | -0.2% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 33.85 is below the median for low income countries, which is 67.04, 50% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 33.85 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.31, 53% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.95 | 33.83 | 34.06 | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.29 | 34.09 | 34.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.19 | 34.03 | 34.44 | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.84 | 33.71 | 33.92 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More work & labour data for Somalia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4323 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4971 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.7917 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 22,865 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 12,986 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 34,351 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,013 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 67,364 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Somalia?
- Labor force participation rate in Somalia was 33.85 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 34.5 in 2008.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.71 in 2020.
- How does Somalia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Somalia ranks 183rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Somalia 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).