Tanzania — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Tanzania, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Tanzania was 83.72% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 88.35% in 2006. The lowest was 82.84% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.10% per year.
Tanzania ranks 4 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 2%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Tanzania sits above it. It peaked in 2006 and has fallen 5% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 0%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 2 of 47 economies; Nigeria (82.52%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 2nd of 187 in 1990 → 1st of 187 in 2000 → 3rd of 187 in 2010 → 4th of 187 in 2020 → 4th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 83.72% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 83.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 83.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 83.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 83.73% | +0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 82.84% | -1.0 pp |
| 2019 | 83.81% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 83.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 83.86% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 83.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 83.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 83.97% | -0.6 pp |
| 2013 | 84.58% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 85.17% | -0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 85.75% | -0.6 pp |
| 2010 | 86.31% | -0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 86.84% | -0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 87.36% | -0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 87.86% | -0.5 pp |
| 2006 | 88.35% | +0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 87.99% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 87.61% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 87.23% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 86.84% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 86.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 86.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 86.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 86.47% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 86.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 86.46% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 86.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 86.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 86.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 86.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 86.66% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 86.68% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Tanzania’s Labor participation in 1991?
86.66% (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 Tanzania’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -3.4% 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: 83.72%; 2024: 83.75%; 2023: 83.77%; 2022: 83.77%; 2021: 83.73%. 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.