Population by labor force status in Yemen
Yemen: Population by labor force status was 17.14 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
17.14 million people
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
24th
of 186 countries
All-time high
17.14 million people
in 2025
All-time low
7.38 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Yemen, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, population by labor force status in Yemen stood at 17.14 million people. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Yemen peaked at 17.14 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.38 million people, in 1991.
That places Yemen 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Yemen, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.38 million people | — |
| 1992 | 7.67 million people | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 7.97 million people | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 8.25 million people | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 8.52 million people | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 8.77 million people | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 8.99 million people | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 9.21 million people | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 9.42 million people | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 9.63 million people | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 9.83 million people | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 10.02 million people | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 10.21 million people | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 10.41 million people | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 10.60 million people | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 10.80 million people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 11.01 million people | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 11.21 million people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 11.43 million people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 11.64 million people | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 11.87 million people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 12.13 million people | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 12.41 million people | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 12.71 million people | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 13.04 million people | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 13.38 million people | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 13.75 million people | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 14.14 million people | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 14.53 million people | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 14.94 million people | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 15.36 million people | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 15.79 million people | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 16.24 million people | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 16.69 million people | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 17.14 million people | +2.7% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 17.14 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.15 million people, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 17.14 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.91 million people, 5.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.46 million people | 7.38 million people | 9.42 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.51 million people | 9.63 million people | 11.43 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.96 million people | 11.64 million people | 14.53 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.03 million people | 14.94 million people | 17.14 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
- 21 Afghanistan 18.66 million people compare
- 22 Turkey 18.43 million people compare
- 23 Angola 17.22 million people compare
- 25 Iraq 16.94 million people compare
- 26 South Africa 16.66 million people compare
- 27 Mozambique 15.74 million people compare
More work & labour data for Yemen
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2636 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2778 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4814 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 27,630 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 20,674 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 54,803 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 55,233 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 110,036 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in Yemen?
- Population by labor force status in Yemen was 17.14 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 17.14 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.38 million people in 1991.
- How does Yemen rank for population by labor force status?
- Yemen ranks 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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).