Labor participation rate in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Labor participation rate was 68.46 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
68.46
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
33rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
82.08
in 2001
All-time low
68.25
in 2021
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor participation rate in Ethiopia, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor participation rate in Ethiopia is 68.46, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor participation rate in Ethiopia peaked at 82.08 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 68.25, in 2021.
That places Ethiopia 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor participation rate in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 81.81 | — |
| 1991 | 81.8 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 81.8 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 81.83 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 81.86 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 81.89 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 81.92 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 81.97 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 82.01 | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 82.05 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 82.07 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 82.08 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 82.08 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 82.07 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 82.05 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 82.02 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 81.92 | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 81.83 | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 81.73 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.63 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.53 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 81.44 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 81.34 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.24 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 79.61 | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 77.98 | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 76.37 | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 74.76 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 73.16 | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 71.57 | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 69.39 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 68.25 | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 68.47 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 68.46 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 68.47 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 68.46 | -0.0% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 68.46 is above the median for low income countries, which is 67.04, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 68.46 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.31, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 81.89 | 81.8 | 82.05 | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.95 | 81.63 | 82.08 | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.9 | 71.57 | 81.53 | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.58 | 68.25 | 69.39 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More work & labour data for Ethiopia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4959 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4604 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1765 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 74,537 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 116,333 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 183,282 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 184,008 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 367,290 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor participation rate in Ethiopia?
- Labor participation rate in Ethiopia was 68.46 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor participation rate recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 82.08 in 2001.
- What is the lowest labor participation rate recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.25 in 2021.
- How does Ethiopia rank for labor participation rate?
- Ethiopia ranks 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor participation rate rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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).