Vanuatu — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Vanuatu, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Vanuatu was 58.11% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 77.13% in 2002. The lowest was 58.04% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.80% per year.
Vanuatu ranks 118 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 63%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so Vanuatu sits below it. It peaked in 2002 and has fallen 25% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 5%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 21 of 29 economies; Fiji (57.16%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 5% in 2010.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 20th of 187 in 1990 → 19th of 187 in 2000 → 63rd of 187 in 2010 → 110th of 187 in 2020 → 117th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58.11% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 58.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 58.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 58.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 58.28% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 58.04% | -0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 58.6% | -0.7 pp |
| 2018 | 59.25% | -0.7 pp |
| 2017 | 59.91% | -0.7 pp |
| 2016 | 60.56% | -0.6 pp |
| 2015 | 61.21% | -0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 61.85% | -0.6 pp |
| 2013 | 62.49% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 63.13% | -0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 63.76% | -0.6 pp |
| 2010 | 64.39% | -3.4 pp |
| 2009 | 67.79% | -3.2 pp |
| 2008 | 71.02% | -3.0 pp |
| 2007 | 74.05% | -2.8 pp |
| 2006 | 76.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 77.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 77.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 77.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 76.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 76.82% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 76.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 76.86% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 76.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 76.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 76.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 76.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 77.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 76.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 76.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 76.99% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Vanuatu’s Labor participation in 1991?
76.97% (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 Vanuatu’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -24.5% in total — about 0.8% 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: 58.11%; 2024: 58.35%; 2023: 58.4%; 2022: 58.43%; 2021: 58.28%. 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.