Labor participation rate in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Labor participation rate was 37.46 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
37.46
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
181st
of 186 countries
All-time high
47.3
in 2017
All-time low
37.46
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor participation rate in Afghanistan, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor participation rate in Afghanistan is 37.46, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor participation rate in Afghanistan peaked at 47.3 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 37.46, in 2025.
That places Afghanistan 181st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor participation rate in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 47.19 | — |
| 1991 | 47.14 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 47.09 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 47.02 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 46.95 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 46.88 | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 46.8 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 46.73 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 46.67 | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 46.61 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 46.56 | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 46.53 | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 46.51 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 46.5 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 46.51 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 46.53 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 46.57 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 46.62 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 46.68 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 46.75 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 46.81 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 46.88 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 46.96 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 47.03 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 47.1 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 47.16 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.23 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 47.3 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 45.57 | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 43.81 | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 41.58 | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 40.68 | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 37.64 | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 37.59 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 37.55 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 37.46 | -0.2% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 37.46 is below the median for low income countries, which is 67.04, 56% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 37.46 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 44.99, 83% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.91 | 46.61 | 47.19 | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.57 | 46.5 | 46.75 | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.59 | 43.81 | 47.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.75 | 37.46 | 41.58 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor participation rate in Afghanistan?
- Labor participation rate in Afghanistan was 37.46 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor participation rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 47.3 in 2017.
- What is the lowest labor participation rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.46 in 2025.
- How does Afghanistan rank for labor participation rate?
- Afghanistan ranks 181st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor participation rate rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Labor 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).