Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 68.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe stood at 68.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe peaked at 68.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 65.5%, in 1999.
Zimbabwe ranks 31st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 65.8% | — |
| 1992 | 65.8% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 65.8% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 65.7% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 65.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 65.6% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 65.5% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 65.5% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 65.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 65.7% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 66.2% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 66.6% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 66.9% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 67.0% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 67.4% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 68.0% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 68.4% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 68.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 68.2% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 68.4% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 68.8% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 68.6% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 68.5% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 68.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 68.1% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 68.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 68.5% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 68.5% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 68.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 68.4% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 68.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 68.2% | -0.2% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 68.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 59.3%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 68.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67.6%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.7% | 65.5% | 65.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 66.7% | 65.5% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.4% | 68.0% | 68.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.5% | 68.2% | 68.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More work & labour data for Zimbabwe
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1727 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2032 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,627 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16,032 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,130 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 18,036 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 37,167 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Zimbabwe was 68.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 68.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.5% in 1999.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Zimbabwe ranks 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers 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).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).