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Labour · Europe & Central Asia · Upper-middle income

Bosnia and Herzegovina: the labour market

Labour force is 1.3m (2025), 138th of 187 in the world and 39th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Participation rate is 49.0% (2025), 162nd of 187 in the world and 47th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Women's participation is 39.2% (2025), 153rd of 187 in the world and 46th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia.

Labour force1.3m2025 · world 138/187 · region 39/49Participation rate49.0%2025 · world 162/187 · region 47/49Women's participation39.2%2025 · world 153/187 · region 46/49Employment rate43.6%2025 · world 161/187 · region 47/49
Labour force
Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.2m1.4m1.6m1.8m1995200020052010201520202025Bosnia and Herzegovina1.3m
Participation rate
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEurope & Central AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Bosnia and Herzegovina49.0%Europe & Central AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Bosnia and Herzegovina in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total1.3m2025138/18739/491.8m1.6m1.4m−11%since 2015429m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+49.0%2025162/18747/4952.8%51.2%47.5%−0.9 ppsince 201558.2%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+39.2%2025153/18746/4941.2%40.2%37.1%+0.4 ppsince 201551.1%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)43.6%2025161/18747/4939.4%37.2%39.9%+7.5 ppsince 201555.1%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)11.0%202533/1875/4925.4%27.3%15.9%−16.7 ppsince 20155.4%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)13.3%202532/1873/4928.9%29.8%18.4%−17.3 ppsince 20155.7%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)28.2%202524/1873/4950.4%59.7%37.9%−37.0 ppsince 201514.0%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %14.5%2025110/17012/4632.4%200128.7%21.8%−13.9 ppsince 201511.4%17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment77.9%202564/18736/4971.0%74.3%76.3%+1.3 ppsince 201583.3%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)18.1%2025124/18715/4926.0%22.7%19.8%−3.2 ppsince 201512.9%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment16.7%202586/18710/4924.3%20.9%12.8%−2.3 ppsince 20156.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment30.6%202518/1877/4930.5%30.9%33.5%+1.1 ppsince 201523.7%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment52.7%2025115/18741/4945.2%48.3%53.7%+1.2 ppsince 201569.7%52.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Bosnia and Herzegovina and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBosnia and HerzegovinaSerbiaCroatiaMontenegro
Labour force1.3m20253.3m20251.7m2025296,6182025
Participation rate49.0%202559.1%202552.1%202558.0%2025
Women's participation39.2%202552.6%202547.4%202551.2%2025
Employment rate43.6%202554.9%202549.5%202550.1%2025
Unemployment11.0%20257.1%20255.0%202513.6%2025
Female unemployment13.3%20257.5%20255.1%202514.2%2025
Youth unemployment28.2%202520.9%202516.5%202524.4%2025
Youth NEET rate14.5%202512.7%20259.0%202514.2%2024
Wage workers77.9%202573.0%202587.3%202582.6%2025
Serbia: labourCroatia: labourMontenegro: labour
Labour in Europe & Central Asiaall 58 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBosnia and Herzegovina: all key statisticscountry profile