Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World
Arab World: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 21.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Arab World recorded 21.6% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World peaked at 30.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 21.6%, in 2025.
Arab World ranks 37th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 30.8% | — |
| 1992 | 30.5% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 30.5% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 29.9% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 29.6% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 29.0% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 28.5% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 27.8% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 27.7% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 26.9% | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 27.2% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 27.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 27.4% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 26.7% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 26.3% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 24.3% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 23.0% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 23.1% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 22.7% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 22.6% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 23.0% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 22.5% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 22.5% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 23.6% | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 23.3% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 22.0% | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 21.8% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 21.6% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.5% | 27.8% | 30.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 26.6% | 25.0% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 22.5% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.5% | 21.6% | 23.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More work & labour data for Arab World
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 10.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 39.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 20.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 48.7% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 30.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 46.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Arab World was 21.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 30.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.6% in 2025.
- How does Arab World rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- Arab World ranks 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.