Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia
Colombia: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 4.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia, 2001–2020
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 4.2% for public sector employment as a share of total employment in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.2% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia peaked at 7.0% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2017.
Colombia ranks 77th of 79 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6.8% | — |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 6.0% | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 5.3% | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | -13.8% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 4.0% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 4.2% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.2% | 4.6% | 7.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 8 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 74 Guatemala 6.6% compare
- 75 Rwanda 6.3% compare
- 76 Bangladesh 4.2% compare
- 78 Tanzania, United Republic of 3.3% compare
- 79 Niger 2.0% compare
More work & labour data for Colombia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6981 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7453 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1417 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 48,629 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 6,104 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 23,624 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 23,456 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 47,081 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Colombia was 4.2% in 2020, 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2002.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2017.
- How does Colombia rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Colombia ranks 77th out of 79 countries with data for 2020.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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.
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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.