Share of workers who are employees vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Share of workers who are employees vs. GDP per capita was 61.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of workers who are employees vs. GDP per capita in China, 1991–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 61.9% for share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita in 2024. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 61.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.6%, in 1991.
That places China 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Share of workers who are employees vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 42.6% | — |
| 1992 | 43.1% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 43.8% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 44.5% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 45.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 45.9% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 46.5% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 47.1% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 47.7% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 48.3% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 48.9% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 49.5% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 50.2% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 50.9% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 51.6% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 52.4% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 54.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 54.8% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 55.5% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 56.2% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 56.8% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 57.4% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 58.0% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 58.5% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 59.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 59.5% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 60.0% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 60.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 60.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 60.7% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 61.1% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 61.6% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 61.9% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.1% | 42.6% | 47.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 51.4% | 48.3% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.1% | 55.5% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.2% | 60.5% | 61.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 102 Philippines 63.5% compare
- 103 Western Sahara 63.4% compare
- 104 Namibia 63.2% compare
- 106 Lesotho 61.4% compare
- 107 Cape Verde 61.1% compare
- 108 Guatemala 60.7% compare
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 of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita in China was 61.9% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 61.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.6% in 1991.
- How does China rank for share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of workers who are employees vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers who are employees vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of people in employment working as employees, as a percentage of total employment.