Zambia — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Zambia, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Zambia was 61.93% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 61.96% in 2023. The lowest was 58.48% in 2018 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.11% per year.
Zambia ranks 90 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 48%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Zambia sits below it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 0% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 5%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 27 of 47 economies; Equatorial Guinea (60.51%) is just below it. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 103rd of 187 in 1990 → 108th of 187 in 2000 → 118th of 187 in 2010 → 88th of 187 in 2020 → 89th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 61.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 61.96% | +2.4 pp |
| 2022 | 59.53% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 60.1% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 60.87% | +1.3 pp |
| 2019 | 59.54% | +1.1 pp |
| 2018 | 58.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 58.58% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 58.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 58.76% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 58.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 58.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 58.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 59.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 59.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 59.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 59.16% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 59.21% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 59.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 59.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 59.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 59.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 59.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 59.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 59.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 59.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 59.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 59.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 59.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 59.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 59.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 59.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 59.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 59.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 59.65% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zambia’s Labor participation in 1991?
59.63% (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 Zambia’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +3.8% 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: 61.93%; 2024: 61.9%; 2023: 61.96%; 2022: 59.53%; 2021: 60.1%. 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.