Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
86.9%
Qatar
Lowest
21.2%
Sao Tome and Principe
Median
57.5%
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
8,176
What the numbers show
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 86.9% in Qatar; the lowest is 21.2% in Sao Tome and Principe.
The median across all reporting countries is 57.5%, and the mean is 56.6%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 4.
Over the past decade 97 countries rose and 89 fell. The largest increase was in Serbia (up 30.2%), and the largest decrease in Afghanistan (down 24.4%).
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 86.9% | 2025 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 83.1% | 2025 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 3 | Madagascar | 82.9% | 2025 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 4 | Tanzania | 82.4% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 5 | Cambodia | 82.2% | 2025 | up 3.6% | flat |
| 6 | Nigeria | 80.0% | 2025 | up 3.3% | flat |
| 7 | Niger | 79.4% | 2025 | up 8.9% | flat |
| 8 | North Korea | 79.2% | 2025 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 9 | Uganda | 77.8% | 2025 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 10 | Burundi | 77.5% | 2025 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | 76.9% | 2025 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 12 | Bolivia | 76.3% | 2025 | up 16.6% | rising |
| 13 | Benin | 75.1% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 14 | Liberia | 74.4% | 2025 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 15 | Eritrea | 73.7% | 2025 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 16 | Mozambique | 73.5% | 2025 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 17 | Iceland | 72.2% | 2025 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 18 | Kuwait | 71.8% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 19 | Vietnam | 71.7% | 2025 | down 5.7% | flat |
| 20 | Moldova | 71.2% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 21 | Bahrain | 69.7% | 2025 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 22 | Peru | 69.1% | 2025 | down 5.8% | rising |
| 23 | Central African Republic | 68.8% | 2025 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 24 | Singapore | 67.7% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 25 | Burkina Faso | 67.6% | 2025 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 26 | Jamaica | 67.3% | 2025 | up 12.7% | flat |
| 27 | Bahamas | 67.0% | 2025 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 28 | Paraguay | 66.9% | 2025 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 29 | New Zealand | 66.8% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 30 | Macao | 66.3% | 2025 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 66.2% | 2025 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 32 | Thailand | 66.2% | 2025 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 33 | Oman | 66.2% | 2025 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 34 | East Timor | 65.9% | 2025 | up 2.3% | falling |
| 35 | Indonesia | 65.8% | 2025 | up 3.4% | flat |
| 36 | Cote d'Ivoire | 65.5% | 2025 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 37 | Laos | 65.3% | 2025 | up 11.0% | flat |
| 38 | Mali | 65.1% | 2025 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 39 | Netherlands | 64.6% | 2025 | up 4.4% | flat |
| 40 | Kazakhstan | 64.5% | 2025 | down 3.6% | flat |
| 41 | South Sudan | 64.3% | 2023 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 42 | Angola | 64.2% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 43 | Australia | 63.8% | 2025 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 44 | Kenya | 63.7% | 2025 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 45 | Cyprus | 63.7% | 2025 | up 16.8% | flat |
| 46 | Malaysia | 63.6% | 2025 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 47 | Switzerland | 63.5% | 2025 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 48 | Israel | 63.2% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 49 | Saudi Arabia | 63.1% | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 50 | Guinea-Bissau | 63.1% | 2025 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 51 | Cameroon | 62.8% | 2025 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 52 | Nicaragua | 62.7% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 53 | Bhutan | 62.7% | 2025 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 54 | South Korea | 62.6% | 2025 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 55 | Norway | 62.6% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 56 | Ecuador | 62.4% | 2025 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 57 | Malta | 62.1% | 2025 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 58 | Japan | 61.9% | 2025 | up 7.7% | flat |
| 59 | Ireland | 61.8% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 60 | Saint Lucia | 61.8% | 2025 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 61 | China | 61.6% | 2025 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 62 | Dominican Republic | 61.5% | 2025 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 63 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 61.5% | 2025 | down 1.5% | falling |
| 64 | Zimbabwe | 61.4% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 65 | Denmark | 61.3% | 2025 | up 6.6% | flat |
| 66 | Brunei | 60.8% | 2025 | up 0.4% | falling |
| 67 | Panama | 60.8% | 2025 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 68 | Maldives | 60.6% | 2025 | up 15.5% | rising |
| 69 | Belarus | 60.6% | 2025 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 70 | Barbados | 60.5% | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 71 | Uruguay | 60.1% | 2025 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 72 | Canada | 60.1% | 2025 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 73 | El Salvador | 60.1% | 2025 | up 6.6% | flat |
| 74 | Philippines | 60.0% | 2025 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 75 | Mexico | 60.0% | 2025 | up 3.5% | flat |
| 76 | Azerbaijan | 59.8% | 2025 | down 0.9% | falling |
| 77 | Russia | 59.8% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 78 | Estonia | 59.7% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 79 | Malawi | 59.4% | 2025 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 80 | Brazil | 59.4% | 2025 | up 1.0% | falling |
| 81 | United States | 59.1% | 2025 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 82 | Sweden | 59.0% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 83 | Chad | 58.8% | 2025 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 84 | Guam | 58.8% | 2025 | up 1.2% | falling |
| 85 | Lithuania | 58.7% | 2025 | up 9.2% | flat |
| 86 | Czechia | 58.6% | 2025 | up 4.0% | flat |
| 87 | United Kingdom | 58.5% | 2025 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 88 | Germany | 58.3% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 89 | Zambia | 58.3% | 2025 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 90 | Colombia | 58.1% | 2025 | down 5.1% | flat |
| 91 | Guatemala | 58.1% | 2025 | down 1.7% | falling |
| 92 | Hungary | 57.8% | 2025 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 93 | Luxembourg | 57.6% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 94 | Argentina | 57.5% | 2025 | up 5.0% | flat |
| 95 | Albania | 57.2% | 2025 | up 24.6% | flat |
| 96 | Slovakia | 57.2% | 2025 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 97 | Ghana | 56.8% | 2025 | down 12.0% | falling |
| 98 | Austria | 56.8% | 2025 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 99 | Chile | 56.7% | 2025 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 100 | Togo | 56.7% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 101 | Poland | 56.6% | 2025 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 102 | Bangladesh | 56.6% | 2025 | up 4.8% | flat |
| 103 | Mongolia | 56.6% | 2025 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 104 | Latvia | 56.5% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 105 | Georgia | 56.5% | 2025 | up 2.3% | falling |
| 106 | Rwanda | 56.4% | 2025 | up 5.6% | flat |
| 107 | Trinidad and Tobago | 55.8% | 2025 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 108 | Slovenia | 55.7% | 2025 | up 6.3% | flat |
| 109 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 55.7% | 2025 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 110 | Equatorial Guinea | 55.5% | 2025 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 111 | Kyrgyzstan | 55.3% | 2025 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 112 | Mauritius | 55.2% | 2025 | down 1.1% | flat |
| 113 | Vanuatu | 55.2% | 2025 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 114 | Serbia | 54.9% | 2025 | up 30.2% | flat |
| 115 | Uzbekistan | 54.8% | 2025 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 116 | Hong Kong | 54.8% | 2025 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 117 | Portugal | 54.6% | 2025 | up 6.4% | falling |
| 118 | Haiti | 54.4% | 2025 | down 4.2% | falling |
| 119 | Congo | 54.3% | 2025 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 120 | Bulgaria | 54.1% | 2025 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 121 | Fiji | 54.1% | 2025 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 122 | Finland | 54.0% | 2025 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 123 | Belize | 53.9% | 2025 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 124 | Honduras | 53.8% | 2025 | down 10.6% | falling |
| 125 | Costa Rica | 53.7% | 2025 | down 6.6% | flat |
| 126 | Comoros | 53.6% | 2025 | up 21.3% | rising |
| 127 | Myanmar | 53.4% | 2025 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 128 | India | 53.3% | 2025 | up 8.8% | falling |
| 129 | Botswana | 52.0% | 2025 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 130 | Armenia | 51.7% | 2025 | up 2.9% | falling |
| 131 | Sierra Leone | 51.7% | 2025 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 132 | Spain | 51.5% | 2025 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 133 | Cuba | 51.3% | 2025 | down 5.3% | rising |
| 134 | France | 51.2% | 2025 | up 2.6% | flat |
| 135 | Belgium | 51.1% | 2025 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 136 | Papua New Guinea | 50.7% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 137 | Senegal | 50.6% | 2025 | up 19.3% | flat |
| 138 | Cape Verde | 50.2% | 2025 | down 3.6% | flat |
| 139 | New Caledonia | 50.1% | 2025 | down 7.5% | flat |
| 140 | Montenegro | 50.1% | 2025 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 141 | Guinea | 49.9% | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 142 | Turkey | 49.7% | 2025 | up 8.1% | falling |
| 143 | Suriname | 49.6% | 2025 | down 3.8% | rising |
| 144 | Croatia | 49.5% | 2025 | up 12.3% | flat |
| 145 | Pakistan | 49.5% | 2025 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 146 | Ukraine | 49.3% | 2021 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 147 | Venezuela | 49.2% | 2025 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 148 | Tonga | 48.8% | 2025 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 149 | Guyana | 48.4% | 2025 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 150 | Romania | 48.3% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 151 | United States Virgin Islands | 48.1% | 2025 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 152 | Lesotho | 47.8% | 2025 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 153 | Greece | 47.5% | 2025 | up 23.7% | falling |
| 154 | Namibia | 47.5% | 2025 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 155 | Sri Lanka | 46.6% | 2025 | down 9.1% | flat |
| 156 | French Polynesia | 46.3% | 2025 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 157 | Italy | 46.2% | 2025 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 158 | North Macedonia | 45.6% | 2025 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 159 | Gambia | 44.4% | 2025 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 160 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 43.6% | 2025 | up 20.9% | flat |
| 161 | Egypt | 41.5% | 2025 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 162 | Gabon | 40.8% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 163 | Samoa | 40.4% | 2025 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 164 | Turkmenistan | 40.2% | 2025 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 165 | Puerto Rico | 40.2% | 2025 | up 20.2% | falling |
| 166 | Morocco | 40.0% | 2025 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 167 | Libya | 39.0% | 2025 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 168 | Lebanon | 38.7% | 2023 | down 8.5% | flat |
| 169 | Tunisia | 38.4% | 2025 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 170 | South Africa | 37.6% | 2025 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 171 | Iran | 37.6% | 2025 | up 0.8% | falling |
| 172 | Mauritania | 36.6% | 2025 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 173 | Algeria | 36.0% | 2025 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 174 | Tajikistan | 35.6% | 2025 | down 4.5% | falling |
| 175 | Nepal | 35.1% | 2025 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 176 | Iraq | 35.1% | 2025 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 177 | Sudan | 34.7% | 2022 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 178 | Palestine | 34.0% | 2022 | up 1.0% | falling |
| 179 | Eswatini | 33.7% | 2025 | down 14.2% | falling |
| 180 | Jordan | 33.4% | 2025 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 181 | Afghanistan | 32.5% | 2025 | down 24.4% | falling |
| 182 | Syria | 31.9% | 2025 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 183 | Somalia | 27.4% | 2025 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 184 | Yemen | 27.4% | 2025 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 185 | Djibouti | 23.5% | 2025 | down 2.5% | falling |
| 186 | Sao Tome and Principe | 21.2% | 2025 | down 1.2% | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Africa Western and Central 70.0%
- Pre-demographic dividend 66.6%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 66.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 66.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 66.3%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 64.2%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 63.7%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 62.8%
- IDA blend 62.7%
- East Asia & Pacific 62.7%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 62.6%
- Pacific island small states 62.4%
About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.