Labor force participation rate in Mauritania
Mauritania: Labor force participation rate was 40.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Mauritania, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Mauritania stood at 40.8%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Mauritania peaked at 46.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 40.5%, in 2020.
Mauritania ranks 176th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.3% | 46.0% | 46.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.1% | 44.2% | 46.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.4% | 41.0% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.8% | 40.5% | 40.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More work & labour data for Mauritania
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 56.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 46.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 26.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 41.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 57.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 27.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Mauritania?
- Labor force participation rate in Mauritania was 40.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 46.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.5% in 2020.
- How does Mauritania rank for labor force participation rate?
- Mauritania ranks 176th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).