Mauritania — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Mauritania, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Mauritania was 40.77% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 46.48% in 1990. The lowest was 40.55% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.37% per year.
Mauritania ranks 177 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 95%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Mauritania sits below it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 12% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 3%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 44 of 47 economies; Sudan (37.52%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 174th of 187 in 1990 → 174th of 187 in 2000 → 173rd of 187 in 2010 → 175th of 187 in 2020 → 173rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 40.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 40.93% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 40.94% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 40.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 40.55% | -0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 41.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 41.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 41.1% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 41.59% | -0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 42.08% | -0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 42.57% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 43.06% | -0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 43.55% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 43.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 43.96% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 44.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 44.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 44.57% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 44.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 44.98% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 45.18% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 45.39% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 45.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 45.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 46% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 46.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 46.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 46.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 46.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 46.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 46.29% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 46.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 46.38% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 46.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 46.48% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Mauritania’s Labor participation in 1991?
46.43% (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 Mauritania’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -12.3% in total — about 0.4% 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: 40.77%; 2024: 40.9%; 2023: 40.93%; 2022: 40.94%; 2021: 40.7%. 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.