Eritrea — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Eritrea, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Eritrea was 78.35% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 81.00% in 1990. The lowest was 77.51% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.10% per year.
Eritrea ranks 13 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 7%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Eritrea sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 1%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 7 of 47 economies; Burundi (78.25%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 12th of 187 in 1990 → 13th of 187 in 2000 → 11th of 187 in 2010 → 12th of 187 in 2020 → 13th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78.35% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 78.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 78.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 78.35% | +0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 77.95% | +0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 77.51% | -0.9 pp |
| 2019 | 78.39% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 78.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 79.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 79.21% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 79.11% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 79.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 79.36% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 79.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 79.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 79.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 79.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 80.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 80.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 79.99% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 80.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 80.23% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 80.44% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 80.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 80.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 80.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 80.65% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 80.48% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 80.25% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 80.4% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 80.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 80.82% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 80.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 80.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 81% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Eritrea’s Labor participation in 1991?
80.97% (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 Eritrea’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -3.3% in total — about 0.1% 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: 78.35%; 2024: 78.34%; 2023: 78.35%; 2022: 78.35%; 2021: 77.95%. 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.