Public sector employment as a share of total employment in France
France: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 28.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in France, 2004–2020
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
France recorded 28.9% for public sector employment as a share of total employment in 2020.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in France peaked at 34.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 28.9%, in 2012.
That places France 10th out of 79 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 33.8% | — |
| 2005 | 34.0% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 33.7% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 33.1% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | -9.1% |
| 2009 | 29.2% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 31.8% | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 31.1% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 28.9% | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 32.4% | +12.3% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 34.7% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 31.7% | -8.8% |
| 2018 | 31.5% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 30.4% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 28.9% | -5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.3% | 29.2% | 34.0% | 6 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 28.9% | 34.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.9% | 28.9% | 28.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near France
More work & labour data for France
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3323 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 62,374 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,235 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,191 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,294 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 68,485 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public sector employment as a share of total employment in France?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in France was 28.9% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 34.7% in 2016.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.9% in 2012.
- How does France rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- France ranks 10th out of 79 countries with data for 2020.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France 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 — 17 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.