Population by labor force status in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Population by labor force status was 52.54 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
52.54 million people
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
7th
of 186 countries
All-time high
52.54 million people
in 2025
All-time low
22.96 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Ethiopia, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 52.54 million people for population by labor force status in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Ethiopia peaked at 52.54 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 22.96 million people, in 1991.
That places Ethiopia 7th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 22.96 million people | — |
| 1992 | 23.95 million people | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 24.90 million people | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 25.87 million people | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 26.87 million people | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 27.89 million people | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 28.94 million people | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 30.02 million people | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 31.12 million people | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 32.19 million people | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 33.23 million people | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 34.24 million people | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 35.23 million people | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 36.21 million people | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 37.17 million people | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 38.11 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 39.02 million people | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 39.86 million people | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 40.65 million people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 41.38 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 42.08 million people | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 42.73 million people | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 43.33 million people | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 43.91 million people | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 44.51 million people | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 45.14 million people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 45.81 million people | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 46.52 million people | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 47.29 million people | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 48.10 million people | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 48.93 million people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 49.78 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 50.66 million people | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 51.58 million people | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 52.54 million people | +1.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 52.54 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.15 million people, 5.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 52.54 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.33 million people, 8.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.95 million people | 22.96 million people | 31.12 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 36.59 million people | 32.19 million people | 40.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.27 million people | 41.38 million people | 47.29 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.27 million people | 48.10 million people | 52.54 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 4 Pakistan 92.50 million people compare
- 5 Indonesia 69.28 million people compare
- 6 United States 59.38 million people compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 51.85 million people compare
- 9 Bangladesh 48.57 million people compare
- 10 Brazil 41.26 million people compare
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 population by labor force status in Ethiopia?
- Population by labor force status in Ethiopia was 52.54 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 52.54 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.96 million people in 1991.
- How does Ethiopia rank for population by labor force status?
- Ethiopia ranks 7th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).