Labor force, total, annual growth rate by country
The year-on-year percentage change in Labor force, total. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
6.88 % change on previous year
Palestine
Lowest
-2.5 % change on previous year
Kazakhstan
Median
1.26 % change on previous year
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
8,176
What the numbers show
Labor force, total, annual growth rate is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 6.88 % change on previous year in Palestine; the lowest is -2.5 % change on previous year in Kazakhstan.
The median across all reporting countries is 1.26 % change on previous year, and the mean is 1.42 % change on previous year.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.
Over the past decade 77 countries rose and 109 fell. The largest increase was in El Salvador (up 8,122.9%), and the largest decrease in Moldova (down 12,056.8%).
Labor force, total, annual growth rate: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palestine | 6.88 % change on previous year | 2022 | up 73.5% | volatile |
| 2 | Belize | 5.86 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 53.9% | volatile |
| 3 | South Sudan | 5.78 % change on previous year | 2023 | up 48.4% | volatile |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 5.11 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 14.7% | falling |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | 4.85 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 41.1% | volatile |
| 6 | Oman | 4.72 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.2% | volatile |
| 7 | Syria | 4.64 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 184.2% | volatile |
| 8 | Niger | 4.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 9 | Central African Republic | 4.03 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 620.3% | volatile |
| 10 | Qatar | 3.84 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 62.3% | volatile |
| 11 | Zambia | 3.72 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 12 | Uganda | 3.6 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 101.1% | volatile |
| 13 | Georgia | 3.58 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 729.6% | volatile |
| 14 | Burundi | 3.45 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 93.7% | volatile |
| 15 | Chad | 3.4 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 46.2% | rising |
| 16 | Mali | 3.4 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 17 | Senegal | 3.39 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 43.6% | volatile |
| 18 | Angola | 3.38 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 19 | Mozambique | 3.37 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 49.5% | falling |
| 20 | Somalia | 3.31 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.2% | volatile |
| 21 | Burkina Faso | 3.26 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 13.7% | falling |
| 22 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 3.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 10.6% | flat |
| 23 | Congo | 3.22 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 53.4% | falling |
| 24 | Tanzania | 3.21 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 14.2% | rising |
| 25 | Afghanistan | 3.15 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 25.1% | volatile |
| 26 | Cote d'Ivoire | 3.13 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 29.6% | falling |
| 27 | Mauritania | 3.09 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 69.9% | flat |
| 28 | Solomon Islands | 3.07 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 26.3% | flat |
| 29 | Benin | 3.06 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 17.8% | rising |
| 30 | Guinea-Bissau | 3.06 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 3.05 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 85.3% | falling |
| 32 | Gambia | 3.04 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 33 | Malawi | 3.02 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 269.5% | volatile |
| 34 | Rwanda | 3.01 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 9.2% | volatile |
| 35 | Comoros | 2.99 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 51.5% | rising |
| 36 | Madagascar | 2.99 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 37 | Iraq | 2.96 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 14.2% | volatile |
| 38 | Eritrea | 2.93 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 976.7% | volatile |
| 39 | Zimbabwe | 2.91 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 93.5% | volatile |
| 40 | Nigeria | 2.88 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 3.7% | flat |
| 41 | Yemen | 2.87 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 128.0% | volatile |
| 42 | Kenya | 2.83 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 43 | Liberia | 2.83 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 27.7% | volatile |
| 44 | Togo | 2.8 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.9% | volatile |
| 45 | Cameroon | 2.6 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 18.4% | falling |
| 46 | Guinea | 2.59 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 49.4% | flat |
| 47 | Namibia | 2.54 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 4.3% | volatile |
| 48 | Papua New Guinea | 2.49 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 30.4% | falling |
| 49 | East Timor | 2.44 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.8% | volatile |
| 50 | Vanuatu | 2.43 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 158.4% | volatile |
| 51 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2.4 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 27.2% | rising |
| 52 | Sierra Leone | 2.37 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 45.2% | volatile |
| 53 | Pakistan | 2.33 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 54 | Tajikistan | 2.29 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 36.6% | volatile |
| 55 | Bolivia | 2.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 24.2% | volatile |
| 56 | Botswana | 2.22 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 12.2% | volatile |
| 57 | Guatemala | 2.2 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 11.1% | volatile |
| 58 | Egypt | 2.16 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 576.6% | volatile |
| 59 | Kyrgyzstan | 2.14 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 9.1% | volatile |
| 60 | Honduras | 2.12 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 25.3% | volatile |
| 61 | Equatorial Guinea | 2.08 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 51.8% | falling |
| 62 | Nicaragua | 2.02 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 63 | Gabon | 2.01 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 48.1% | volatile |
| 64 | Laos | 2 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 65 | Ireland | 1.95 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 59.5% | volatile |
| 66 | Singapore | 1.92 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 33.0% | volatile |
| 67 | Malaysia | 1.82 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 68 | Malta | 1.77 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 49.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Turkmenistan | 1.75 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 70 | Philippines | 1.75 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 71.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Djibouti | 1.75 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 19.4% | volatile |
| 72 | Panama | 1.71 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.4% | volatile |
| 73 | Haiti | 1.66 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 74 | Cambodia | 1.64 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 110.7% | volatile |
| 75 | Dominican Republic | 1.63 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 72.2% | volatile |
| 76 | Cape Verde | 1.6 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 156.9% | volatile |
| 77 | Eswatini | 1.59 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 55.9% | volatile |
| 78 | Peru | 1.59 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1,995.4% | volatile |
| 79 | Ghana | 1.54 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 88.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Israel | 1.54 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 17.2% | volatile |
| 81 | Ecuador | 1.53 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 78.6% | volatile |
| 82 | Maldives | 1.52 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 70.8% | volatile |
| 83 | Bangladesh | 1.52 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 30.0% | volatile |
| 84 | Iceland | 1.52 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 34.2% | volatile |
| 85 | India | 1.5 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 7.2% | falling |
| 86 | Paraguay | 1.49 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 23.6% | volatile |
| 87 | Australia | 1.47 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 23.5% | rising |
| 88 | South Africa | 1.4 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 70.6% | volatile |
| 89 | Mexico | 1.35 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 21.8% | volatile |
| 90 | Indonesia | 1.31 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 0.2% | volatile |
| 91 | El Salvador | 1.3 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 8,122.9% | volatile |
| 92 | Turkey | 1.3 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 62.7% | volatile |
| 93 | Uzbekistan | 1.27 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 33.5% | falling |
| 94 | Suriname | 1.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 53.4% | volatile |
| 95 | Bhutan | 1.22 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 51.5% | volatile |
| 96 | Lesotho | 1.21 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 243.0% | volatile |
| 97 | Lebanon | 1.21 % change on previous year | 2023 | down 89.1% | volatile |
| 98 | Libya | 1.2 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 33.9% | volatile |
| 99 | Argentina | 1.18 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 36.4% | volatile |
| 100 | Armenia | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 303.7% | volatile |
| 101 | Colombia | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 30.8% | volatile |
| 102 | Mongolia | 1.14 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 15.0% | volatile |
| 103 | Luxembourg | 1.08 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 74.1% | volatile |
| 104 | Morocco | 1.07 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 348.9% | volatile |
| 105 | Costa Rica | 1.01 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 283.6% | volatile |
| 106 | Chile | 1 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 36.9% | volatile |
| 107 | Algeria | 0.9795 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 5.9% | volatile |
| 108 | Venezuela | 0.9763 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 30.7% | volatile |
| 109 | Sudan | 0.972 % change on previous year | 2022 | up 209.5% | falling |
| 110 | Bahrain | 0.9028 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 78.9% | volatile |
| 111 | Guam | 0.8833 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1,202.8% | volatile |
| 112 | Myanmar | 0.8631 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.1% | volatile |
| 113 | Canada | 0.751 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 32.5% | volatile |
| 114 | Iran | 0.7329 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 80.4% | volatile |
| 115 | Fiji | 0.7314 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 195.3% | volatile |
| 116 | New Zealand | 0.6649 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 74.0% | volatile |
| 117 | Norway | 0.6609 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 44.8% | falling |
| 118 | Portugal | 0.6437 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 231.1% | volatile |
| 119 | Guyana | 0.6358 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 6.3% | volatile |
| 120 | Saint Lucia | 0.6309 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 49.4% | volatile |
| 121 | Spain | 0.6287 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 405.6% | volatile |
| 122 | Tunisia | 0.6212 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.2% | volatile |
| 123 | Jamaica | 0.617 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 89.5% | volatile |
| 124 | Brunei | 0.6047 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 60.1% | volatile |
| 125 | Vietnam | 0.595 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 56.9% | volatile |
| 126 | Bahamas | 0.5764 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 56.9% | volatile |
| 127 | Cyprus | 0.5653 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 128 | Belgium | 0.5625 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 180.7% | volatile |
| 129 | Finland | 0.5391 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 26.4% | volatile |
| 130 | Denmark | 0.5285 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 50.7% | volatile |
| 131 | Jordan | 0.5159 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 95.9% | volatile |
| 132 | Switzerland | 0.5082 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 66.2% | volatile |
| 133 | Brazil | 0.4135 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 75.8% | volatile |
| 134 | Uruguay | 0.3846 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 144.8% | volatile |
| 135 | United States | 0.3835 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 41.3% | volatile |
| 136 | New Caledonia | 0.3764 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 151.6% | volatile |
| 137 | Sweden | 0.3745 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 57.4% | volatile |
| 138 | Netherlands | 0.3131 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 73.6% | volatile |
| 139 | North Korea | 0.2839 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 67.9% | volatile |
| 140 | Puerto Rico | 0.2703 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 120.5% | volatile |
| 141 | United Kingdom | 0.2585 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 70.0% | volatile |
| 142 | Azerbaijan | 0.2468 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 87.4% | volatile |
| 143 | Nepal | 0.2391 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 79.2% | falling |
| 144 | French Polynesia | 0.2143 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 76.6% | volatile |
| 145 | Croatia | 0.1068 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 132.1% | volatile |
| 146 | South Korea | 0.1002 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 93.5% | volatile |
| 147 | France | 0.0097 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 95.6% | volatile |
| 148 | China | -0.012 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 113.2% | volatile |
| 149 | Japan | -0.0357 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 126.8% | volatile |
| 150 | Mauritius | -0.041 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 103.1% | volatile |
| 151 | Lithuania | -0.0425 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 92.4% | volatile |
| 152 | Samoa | -0.0433 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 106.6% | volatile |
| 153 | Barbados | -0.1771 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 78.4% | volatile |
| 154 | Greece | -0.211 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 64.4% | volatile |
| 155 | Austria | -0.2125 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 117.5% | volatile |
| 156 | Montenegro | -0.224 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 113.8% | volatile |
| 157 | Romania | -0.2281 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 123.8% | volatile |
| 158 | Slovenia | -0.2302 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 55.5% | volatile |
| 159 | Czechia | -0.2664 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 266.8% | volatile |
| 160 | Bulgaria | -0.3229 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 65.6% | volatile |
| 161 | Thailand | -0.3482 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 377.7% | volatile |
| 162 | North Macedonia | -0.3498 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 66.1% | volatile |
| 163 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | -0.3582 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 851.9% | volatile |
| 164 | Italy | -0.3739 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 57.8% | volatile |
| 165 | Trinidad and Tobago | -0.4108 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 52.8% | volatile |
| 166 | Tonga | -0.447 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 38.4% | volatile |
| 167 | Estonia | -0.4649 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 141.5% | volatile |
| 168 | Sri Lanka | -0.4808 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 109.2% | volatile |
| 169 | Albania | -0.4821 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 117.2% | volatile |
| 170 | Poland | -0.52 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 631.2% | volatile |
| 171 | Serbia | -0.5388 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 57.5% | volatile |
| 172 | Slovakia | -0.5445 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 198.7% | volatile |
| 173 | Macao | -0.5569 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 124.9% | volatile |
| 174 | Germany | -0.5767 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 201.2% | volatile |
| 175 | Hungary | -0.5778 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 132.4% | volatile |
| 176 | Kuwait | -0.6171 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 111.3% | volatile |
| 177 | United States Virgin Islands | -0.7246 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 116.1% | volatile |
| 178 | Cuba | -0.8048 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 285.8% | volatile |
| 179 | Belarus | -0.8297 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 4,762.1% | volatile |
| 180 | Russia | -0.9581 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 143.8% | volatile |
| 181 | Hong Kong | -0.9634 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 182.4% | volatile |
| 182 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -1.05 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 27.8% | volatile |
| 183 | Latvia | -1.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 696.1% | volatile |
| 184 | Moldova | -1.25 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 12,056.8% | volatile |
| 185 | Ukraine | -1.5 % change on previous year | 2021 | down 251.9% | volatile |
| 186 | Kazakhstan | -2.5 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 478.9% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Pre-demographic dividend 3.13 % change on previous year
- World 1.07 % change on previous year
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 3.09 % change on previous year
- Euro area -0.0398 % change on previous year
- Low income 3.08 % change on previous year
- European Union -0.0852 % change on previous year
- Africa Eastern and Southern 3 % change on previous year
- Chagai -0.2579 % change on previous year
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 2.97 % change on previous year
- Sub-Saharan Africa 2.97 % change on previous year
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 2.97 % change on previous year
- Africa Western and Central 2.94 % change on previous year
- Least developed countries 2.7 % change on previous year
- Arab World 2.62 % change on previous year
- IDA blend 2.61 % change on previous year
- IDA total 2.6 % change on previous year
- IDA only 2.6 % change on previous year
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 2.3 % change on previous year
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 2.02 % change on previous year
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 2.02 % change on previous year
- Lower middle income 1.88 % change on previous year
- Pacific island small states 1.83 % change on previous year
- Early-demographic dividend 1.64 % change on previous year
- South Asia 1.46 % change on previous year
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 1.46 % change on previous year
- Low & middle income 1.26 % change on previous year
- IDA & IBRD total 1.2 % change on previous year
- Middle income 1.09 % change on previous year
- Small states 1.06 % change on previous year
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 1.05 % change on previous year
- Other small states 1.03 % change on previous year
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 1.03 % change on previous year
- Latin America & Caribbean 1.02 % change on previous year
- IBRD only 0.7537 % change on previous year
- Caribbean Small States 0.7309 % change on previous year
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 0.6162 % change on previous year
- Upper middle income 0.4769 % change on previous year
- North America 0.4252 % change on previous year
- OECD members 0.4039 % change on previous year
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 0.339 % change on previous year
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Labor force, total. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Labor force, total International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Labor force, total. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.