Population by labor force status in East Timor
East Timor: Population by labor force status was 469,743 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
469,743 people
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
144th
of 186 countries
All-time high
478,459 people
in 2021
All-time low
317,435 people
in 2000
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in East Timor, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
East Timor recorded 469,743 people for population by labor force status in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in East Timor peaked at 478,459 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 317,435 people, in 2000.
East Timor ranks 144th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in East Timor, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 330,095 people | — |
| 1992 | 340,219 people | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 350,977 people | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 362,039 people | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 372,982 people | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 383,573 people | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 393,961 people | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 403,906 people | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 356,635 people | -11.7% |
| 2000 | 317,435 people | -11.0% |
| 2001 | 345,212 people | +8.8% |
| 2002 | 372,483 people | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 387,024 people | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 390,610 people | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 398,770 people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 412,200 people | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 424,700 people | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 435,135 people | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 443,388 people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 450,849 people | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 458,126 people | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 464,133 people | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 468,067 people | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 470,192 people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 471,481 people | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 472,233 people | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 472,957 people | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 474,233 people | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 475,849 people | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 477,452 people | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 478,459 people | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 476,986 people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 473,838 people | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 471,432 people | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 469,743 people | -0.4% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 469,743 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 12% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 469,743 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.11 million people, 42% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 366,043 people | 330,095 people | 403,906 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 392,696 people | 317,435 people | 443,388 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 467,812 people | 450,849 people | 475,849 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 474,652 people | 469,743 people | 478,459 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More work & labour data for East Timor
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 321 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 67.53 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 667.78 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.77 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.22 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,687 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 3,450 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 66.34 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.18 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in East Timor?
- Population by labor force status in East Timor was 469,743 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 East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 478,459 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 317,435 people in 2000.
- How does East Timor rank for population by labor force status?
- East Timor ranks 144th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this East Timor 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).