Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population) in Pakistan
Pakistan: Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population) was 58.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force with basic education in Pakistan, 2005–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 58.3% for labor force with basic education in 2025.
That represents a change of up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Pakistan peaked at 59.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 49.1%, in 2016.
That places Pakistan 37th out of 125 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population) in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of total working-age population with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 49.8% | — |
| 2006 | 53.8% | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 51.5% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 52.3% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 53.3% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 52.8% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 59.6% | +13.0% |
| 2013 | 52.9% | -11.3% |
| 2014 | 52.0% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 52.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 49.1% | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 52.0% | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 52.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 58.2% | +11.5% |
| 2021 | 53.3% | -8.5% |
| 2025 | 58.3% | +9.4% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 58.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 58.0%, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 58.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 47.3%, 1.2× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.1% | 49.8% | 53.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 52.9% | 49.1% | 59.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 56.6% | 53.3% | 58.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 34 Philippines 58.8% compare
- 35 Zimbabwe 58.5% compare
- 36 Ghana 58.3% compare
- 38 Ecuador 58.1% compare
- 39 Burkina Faso 58.0% compare
- 40 Bangladesh 57.8% compare
More work & labour data for Pakistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1658 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1724 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4553 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 160,228 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 146,712 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 259,090 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 251,911 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 511,001 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with basic education in Pakistan?
- Labor force with basic education in Pakistan was 58.3% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 59.6% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.1% in 2016.
- How does Pakistan rank for labor force with basic education?
- Pakistan ranks 37th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).