Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) was 17.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan stood at 17.2%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan peaked at 19.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1995.
That places Afghanistan 182nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.3% | — |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 5.1% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 5.1% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 5.7% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 6.0% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 6.6% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 7.7% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 8.6% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 9.9% | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 11.2% | +13.7% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | +10.3% |
| 2012 | 13.6% | +9.5% |
| 2013 | 14.6% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 15.5% | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 17.2% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +6.1% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 18.1% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 19.6% | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 17.9% | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 17.2% | -0.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 17.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 26.3%, 66% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 17.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.9%, 24% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.3% | 6.0% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.5% | 11.2% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 17.2% | 19.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 179 Tanzania, United Republic of 19.6% compare
- 180 Ethiopia 17.4% compare
- 181 Central African Republic 17.3% compare
- 183 Sierra Leone 17.0% compare
- 184 Nigeria 17.0% compare
- 185 Niger 15.4% compare
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan?
- Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in Afghanistan was 17.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1995.
- How does Afghanistan rank for wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment)?
- Afghanistan ranks 182nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as "paid employment jobs," where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.