Afghanistan — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Afghanistan, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Afghanistan was 37.46% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 47.30% in 2017. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.66% per year.
Afghanistan ranks 182 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 97%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 44.99%, so Afghanistan sits below it. It peaked in 2017 and has fallen 21% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 21%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 20 of 23 economies; Syrian Arab Republic (36.90%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 7% in 2022. That is 11% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 171st of 187 in 1990 → 172nd of 187 in 2000 → 170th of 187 in 2010 → 171st of 187 in 2020 → 177th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 37.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 37.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 37.64% | -3.0 pp |
| 2021 | 40.68% | -0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 41.58% | -2.2 pp |
| 2019 | 43.81% | -1.8 pp |
| 2018 | 45.57% | -1.7 pp |
| 2017 | 47.31% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 47.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 47.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 47.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 47.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 46.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 46.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 46.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 46.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 46.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 46.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 46.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 46.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 46.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 46.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 46.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 46.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 46.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 46.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 46.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 46.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 46.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 46.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 46.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 47.02% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 47.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 47.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 47.19% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Afghanistan’s Labor participation in 1991?
47.14% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Afghanistan’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -20.6% in total — about 0.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 37.46%; 2024: 37.55%; 2023: 37.59%; 2022: 37.64%; 2021: 40.68%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.