Labor force, total in South Asia
South Asia: Labor force, total was 709.68 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in South Asia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, total in South Asia is 709.68 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 22.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in South Asia peaked at 709.68 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 356.03 million, in 1990.
South Asia ranks 16th of 48 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 403.51 million | 356.03 million | 459.13 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 512.49 million | 472.84 million | 538.55 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 576.56 million | 542.29 million | 617.67 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 668.69 million | 619.94 million | 709.68 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 119.0% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 5.84 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 119.2% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 118.8% (2024)
- Labor force, female 29.1% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index 0.991 GPI (2020)
- School enrollment, secondary 76.9% (2024)
- Probability of dying among adolescents ages 10-14 years 2.1 per 1,000 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in South Asia?
- Labor force, total in South Asia was 709.68 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 709.68 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 356.03 million in 1990.
- How does South Asia rank for labor force, total?
- South Asia ranks 16th out of 48 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.