Male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: Male labor force participation rate was 66.8% in 2025. β–Ό Falling

Latest (2025)
66.8%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
123rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
73.9%
in 2005
All-time low
66.7%
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1990–2025

0204060801990200720251990: 72.6 %1991: 72.6 %1992: 72.7 %1993: 72.7 %1994: 72.3 %1995: 72.2 %1996: 72.9 %1997: 73.5 %1998: 73.7 %1999: 73.7 %2000: 73.8 %2001: 73.8 %2002: 73.8 %2003: 73.9 %2004: 73.9 %2005: 73.9 %2006: 73.4 %2007: 72.8 %2008: 72.2 %2009: 71.6 %2010: 71 %2011: 70.3 %2012: 69.7 %2013: 69.4 %2014: 69.1 %2015: 68.9 %2016: 68.5 %2017: 68.1 %2018: 67.9 %2019: 67.7 %2020: 66.7 %2021: 66.9 %2022: 67.4 %2023: 67.2 %2024: 67 %2025: 66.8 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo is 66.8%, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 73.9% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 66.7%, in 2020.

Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 123rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 72.9% 72.2% 73.7% 10
2000s 73.3% 71.6% 73.9% 10
2010s 69.1% 67.7% 71.0% 10
2020s 67.0% 66.7% 67.4% 6

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 120 Iran 67.2% compare
  2. 121 United States 67.1% compare
  3. 122 Lesotho 66.9% compare
  4. 124 Latvia 66.8% compare
  5. 125 Lebanon 66.7% compare
  6. 126 Serbia 66.5% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places β†’

More work & labour data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Male labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo was 66.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest male labor force participation rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 73.9% in 2005.
What is the lowest male labor force participation rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 66.7% in 2020.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for male labor force participation rate?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is male labor force participation rate rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Male labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Male labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the male working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).