Congo, Dem. Rep. — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Congo, Dem. Rep., 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Congo, Dem. Rep. was 64.31% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 72.58% in 2005. The lowest was 63.44% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.33% per year.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks 73 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 39%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Congo, Dem. Rep. sits level with it. It peaked in 2005 and has fallen 11% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 24 of 47 economies; Rwanda (63.68%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 32nd of 187 in 1990 → 30th of 187 in 2000 → 39th of 187 in 2010 → 63rd of 187 in 2020 → 72nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 64.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 64.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 64.36% | +0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 63.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 63.44% | -0.9 pp |
| 2019 | 64.3% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 64.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 64.76% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 65.03% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 65.29% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 65.53% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 65.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 66.03% | -1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 67.01% | -1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 67.98% | -1.0 pp |
| 2009 | 68.93% | -0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 69.87% | -0.9 pp |
| 2007 | 70.79% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 71.69% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 72.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 72.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 72.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 72.55% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 72.54% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 72.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 72.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 72.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 72.46% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 72.28% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 72.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 72.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 72.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 72.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 72.2% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 72.19% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Congo, Dem. Rep.’s Labor participation in 1991?
72.2% (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 Congo, Dem. Rep.’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -10.9% in total — about 0.3% 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: 64.31%; 2024: 64.41%; 2023: 64.4%; 2022: 64.36%; 2021: 63.62%. 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.