Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania
Tanzania: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 36.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania is 36.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania peaked at 36.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 1950.
That places Tanzania 195th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.7% | — |
| 1951 | 3.9% | +6.2% |
| 1952 | 4.1% | +5.5% |
| 1953 | 4.3% | +4.7% |
| 1954 | 4.5% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 4.6% | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 4.7% | +2.2% |
| 1957 | 4.8% | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 4.8% | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 4.9% | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 4.9% | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 5.0% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 5.2% | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 5.6% | +8.1% |
| 1970 | 6.3% | +11.5% |
| 1971 | 7.1% | +13.1% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | +13.4% |
| 1973 | 9.1% | +12.8% |
| 1974 | 10.1% | +11.7% |
| 1975 | 11.2% | +10.3% |
| 1976 | 12.1% | +8.7% |
| 1977 | 13.0% | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 13.7% | +5.3% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 15.3% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 15.7% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 16.2% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 17.0% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 17.4% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 17.8% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 18.2% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 19.3% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 19.6% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 19.9% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 20.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 20.5% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 20.8% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 21.1% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 21.5% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 21.8% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 22.6% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 23.5% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 24.1% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 24.7% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 25.4% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 26.1% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 26.8% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 28.2% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 29.5% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 30.1% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 30.6% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 31.2% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 31.8% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 32.3% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 33.3% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 33.9% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 34.4% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 35.5% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 36.2% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 36.9% | +2.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 36.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 36.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 82% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.4% | 3.7% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.0% | 4.9% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.5% | 6.3% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 14.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.4% | 18.9% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.6% | 22.2% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 28.2% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.3% | 33.9% | 36.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More work & labour data for Tanzania
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 7,078 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 83.66 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 36,231 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.52 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.09 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 8,562 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 2,584 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 82.38 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.35 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Tanzania was 36.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 36.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 1950.
- How does Tanzania rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Tanzania ranks 195th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.