Labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Labor force, total was 299.26 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 299.26 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 299.26 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 121.89 million, in 1990.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 138.71 million | 121.89 million | 156.11 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 182.41 million | 160.53 million | 204.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 237.10 million | 209.60 million | 264.52 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 284.94 million | 268.43 million | 299.26 million | 6 |
More education data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Population ages 15-64 56.6% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.0% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 101.3% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 3.06 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 100.3% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 102.3% (2024)
- Labor force, female 47.2% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index 0.9626 GPI (2020)
- School enrollment, secondary 45.6% (2024)
- Probability of dying among children ages 5-9 years 6.8 per 1,000 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Labor force, total in Africa Eastern and Southern was 299.26 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 299.26 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 121.89 million in 1990.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.