Labor participation rate, male in Africa

Africa: Labor participation rate, male was 53.4% in 2011. ▼ Falling

Latest (2011)
53.4%
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
5th
of 6 groups
All-time high
56.9%
in 1990
All-time low
53.4%
in 2011
Years of data
22
1990–2011

Labor participation rate, male in Africa, 1990–2011

02040601990200020111990: 56.9 % of male population ages 65+1991: 56.6 % of male population ages 65+1992: 56.2 % of male population ages 65+1993: 55.6 % of male population ages 65+1994: 55.8 % of male population ages 65+1995: 56.2 % of male population ages 65+1996: 56 % of male population ages 65+1997: 55.9 % of male population ages 65+1998: 55.7 % of male population ages 65+1999: 55.6 % of male population ages 65+2000: 55.3 % of male population ages 65+2001: 54.9 % of male population ages 65+2002: 54.5 % of male population ages 65+2003: 54.9 % of male population ages 65+2004: 54.5 % of male population ages 65+2005: 54.1 % of male population ages 65+2006: 53.9 % of male population ages 65+2007: 53.8 % of male population ages 65+2008: 53.8 % of male population ages 65+2009: 53.9 % of male population ages 65+2010: 53.6 % of male population ages 65+2011: 53.4 % of male population ages 65+

Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Measured in % of male population ages 65+.

Analysis

In 2011, labor participation rate, male in Africa stood at 53.4%. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor participation rate, male in Africa peaked at 56.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 53.4%, in 2011.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.

Labor participation rate, male in Africa, year by year

Annual values for Labor participation rate, male (% of male population ages 65+) in Africa, 1990 to 2011.
Year % of male population ages 65+ Change
1990 56.9%
1991 56.6% -0.6%
1992 56.2% -0.7%
1993 55.6% -1.1%
1994 55.8% +0.5%
1995 56.2% +0.6%
1996 56.0% -0.4%
1997 55.9% -0.1%
1998 55.7% -0.4%
1999 55.6% -0.2%
2000 55.3% -0.4%
2001 54.9% -0.8%
2002 54.5% -0.6%
2003 54.9% +0.7%
2004 54.5% -0.7%
2005 54.1% -0.8%
2006 53.9% -0.3%
2007 53.8% -0.4%
2008 53.8% +0.0%
2009 53.9% +0.3%
2010 53.6% -0.6%
2011 53.4% -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 56.0% 55.6% 56.9% 10
2000s 54.4% 53.8% 55.3% 10
2010s 53.5% 53.4% 53.6% 2

Countries ranked near Africa

  1. 2 Mozambique 87.3% compare
  2. 3 Gambia 86.4% compare
  3. 4 Chad 79.9% compare
  4. 5 Central African Republic 79.0% compare
  5. 6 Zambia 78.6% compare
  6. 7 Zimbabwe 75.8% compare
  7. 8 Ethiopia 74.9% compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor participation rate, male in Africa?
Labor participation rate, male in Africa was 53.4% in 2011, according to International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
What is the highest labor participation rate, male recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 56.9% in 1990.
What is the lowest labor participation rate, male recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 53.4% in 2011.
How does Africa rank for labor participation rate, male?
Africa ranks 5th out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is labor participation rate, male rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database, published as part of Labor participation rate, male (% of male population ages 65+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor participation rate, male in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-participation-rate-male-percent-of-male-population-ages-65/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor participation rate, male (% of male population ages 65+)
Unit
% of male population ages 65+
Source
International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
58 places, 1,276 data points, 1990–2011
Last refreshed

Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 65 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. The participation rates are harmonized to account for differences in national data collection and tabulation methodologies as well as for other country-specific factors such as military service requirements. The series includes both nationally reported and imputed data and only estimates that are national, meaning there are no geographic limitations in coverage.