Population by labor force status in Tanzania
Tanzania: Population by labor force status was 29.87 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
29.87 million people
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
14th
of 186 countries
All-time high
29.87 million people
in 2025
All-time low
12.36 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Tanzania, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by labor force status in Tanzania is 29.87 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Tanzania peaked at 29.87 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.36 million people, in 1991.
That places Tanzania 14th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.36 million people | — |
| 1992 | 12.62 million people | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 12.90 million people | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 13.21 million people | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 13.52 million people | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 13.83 million people | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 14.15 million people | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 14.50 million people | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 14.87 million people | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 15.26 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 15.67 million people | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 16.10 million people | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 16.55 million people | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 17.04 million people | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 17.56 million people | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 18.11 million people | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 18.66 million people | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 19.21 million people | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 19.75 million people | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 20.29 million people | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 20.82 million people | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 21.37 million people | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 21.94 million people | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 22.54 million people | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 23.16 million people | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 23.80 million people | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 24.46 million people | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 25.14 million people | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 25.80 million people | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 26.45 million people | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 27.10 million people | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 27.77 million people | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 28.46 million people | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 29.16 million people | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 29.87 million people | +2.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 29.87 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 7.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 29.87 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.33 million people, 4.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.55 million people | 12.36 million people | 14.87 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.39 million people | 15.26 million people | 19.75 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.93 million people | 20.29 million people | 25.80 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.14 million people | 26.45 million people | 29.87 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More work & labour data for Tanzania
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 7,078 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 83.66 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 36,231 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.52 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.09 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 8,562 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 2,584 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 82.38 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.35 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in Tanzania?
- Population by labor force status in Tanzania was 29.87 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 29.87 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.36 million people in 1991.
- How does Tanzania rank for population by labor force status?
- Tanzania ranks 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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).