Employment by status in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Employment by status was 39.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
39.4%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
142nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
39.4%
in 2021
All-time low
22.4%
in 1991
Years of data
34
1991–2024
Employment by status in Vanuatu, 1991–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment by status in Vanuatu is 39.4%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment by status in Vanuatu peaked at 39.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 22.4%, in 1991.
That places Vanuatu 142nd out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Employment by status in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 22.4% | — |
| 1992 | 22.6% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 22.7% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 22.9% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 23.1% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 23.2% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 23.4% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 23.6% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 23.7% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 23.9% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 23.9% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 23.9% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 23.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 24.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 24.1% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 24.6% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 25.4% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 26.2% | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 27.0% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 30.8% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 31.8% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 33.8% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 34.8% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 35.7% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 37.9% | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 39.0% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 38.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 39.4% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 39.4% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 39.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 39.4% | -0.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 39.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 35.3%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 39.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 61.9%, 64% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.1% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 24.7% | 23.9% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.3% | 29.8% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.3% | 38.9% | 39.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 139 Mauritania 42.3% compare
- 140 Comoros 42.0% compare
- 141 Moldova 41.3% compare
- 143 Malawi 38.7% compare
- 144 Bangladesh 38.6% compare
- 145 North Korea 37.9% compare
More work & labour data for Vanuatu
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5174 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5115 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6054 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.46 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 163.02 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 311.57 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 431.36 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 444.12 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 875.48 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment by status in Vanuatu?
- Employment by status in Vanuatu was 39.4% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment by status recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 39.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest employment by status recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.4% in 1991.
- How does Vanuatu rank for employment by status?
- Vanuatu ranks 142nd out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is employment by status rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment by status. 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.