Share in vulnerable employment in China
China: Share in vulnerable employment was 33.4 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
33.4
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
82nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
53.85
in 1991
All-time low
33.4
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Share in vulnerable employment in China, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
China recorded 33.4 for share in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share in vulnerable employment in China peaked at 53.85 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 33.4, in 2025.
China ranks 82nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share in vulnerable employment in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 53.85 | — |
| 1992 | 53.26 | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 52.61 | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 51.89 | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 51.18 | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 50.49 | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 49.83 | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 49.21 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 48.61 | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 48.02 | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 47.38 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 46.7 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 45.99 | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 45.24 | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 44.47 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 43.67 | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 42.83 | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 42.01 | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 41.24 | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 40.49 | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 39.77 | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 39.11 | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 38.5 | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 37.92 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 37.37 | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 36.84 | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 36.32 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 35.82 | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 35.32 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 35.4 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 35.1 | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 34.66 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 34.23 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 33.8 | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 33.4 | -1.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 33.4 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.81, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 33.4 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 33.62, 99% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.21 | 48.61 | 53.85 | 9 |
| 2000s | 44.76 | 41.24 | 48.02 | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.75 | 35.32 | 40.49 | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.43 | 33.4 | 35.4 | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More work & labour data for China
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.74 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.0615 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.12 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 275,362 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 319,567 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 326,230 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 645,797 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share in vulnerable employment in China?
- Share in vulnerable employment in China was 33.4 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share in vulnerable employment recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 53.85 in 1991.
- What is the lowest share in vulnerable employment recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.4 in 2025.
- How does China rank for share in vulnerable employment?
- China ranks 82nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share in vulnerable employment rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share in vulnerable employment. 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).