Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 27.4% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2006–2019
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina stood at 27.4%. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of down 8.4% on the previous year and down 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina peaked at 38.1% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 27.4%, in 2019.
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 15th of 79 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 38.1% | — |
| 2007 | 34.7% | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 33.5% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 32.6% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 33.8% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 35.2% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 31.8% | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 34.4% | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 33.6% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 33.2% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 30.1% | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 29.9% | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 27.4% | -8.4% |
Bosnia and Herzegovina compared with similar countries
- Bosnia and Herzegovina's 27.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16.3%, 1.7× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina's 27.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.4%, 1.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.7% | 32.6% | 38.1% | 4 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 27.4% | 35.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Bosnia and Herzegovina
More work & labour data for Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.03 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.04 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2135 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,976 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,082 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 676.82 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 689.64 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,366 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina was 27.4% in 2019, according to World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- The highest recorded value was 38.1% in 2006.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.4% in 2019.
- How does Bosnia and Herzegovina rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 15th out of 79 countries with data for 2019.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bosnia and Herzegovina data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.