World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income

Burundi: the labour market

Labour force is 6.3m (2025), 75th of 187 in the world and 23rd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 78.3% (2025), 14th of 187 in the world and 8th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 79.5% (2025), 5th of 187 in the world and 4th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force6.3m2025 · world 75/187 · region 23/47Participation rate78.3%2025 · world 14/187 · region 8/47Women's participation79.5%2025 · world 5/187 · region 4/47Employment rate77.5%2025 · world 10/187 · region 6/47
Labour force
Burundi
02.0m4.0m6.0m8.0m1995200020052010201520202025Burundi6.3m
Participation rate
BurundiSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Burundi78.3%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Burundi in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; 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, total6.3m202575/18723/472.8m4.0m5.3m+36%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+78.3%202514/1878/4782.7%78.4%78.5%−1.2 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+79.5%20255/1874/4783.3%79.3%78.6%−1.3 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)77.5%202510/1876/4780.1%77.2%77.7%−0.8 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)0.9%2025183/18746/473.1%1.6%1.0%−0.5 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)0.8%2025183/18745/472.3%1.1%1.0%−0.3 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)1.7%2025183/18745/473.9%2.3%1.7%−1.0 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %11.2%2020130/17044/44··11.2%−0.1 ppsince 2006———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment15.1%2025178/18738/4712.2%12.3%14.5%+2.1 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)83.7%20257/1877/4787.1%87.0%84.3%−2.5 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment85.3%20251/1871/4791.9%88.4%85.3%−1.1 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment3.1%2025186/18746/472.3%3.0%3.1%−0.4 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment11.6%2025187/18747/475.8%8.6%11.6%+1.5 ppsince 201538.5%30.4%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

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

neighbours

Burundi and its neighbours

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

IndicatorBurundiDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzaniaRwanda
Labour force6.3m202539.2m202534.1m20255.8m2025
Participation rate78.3%202564.3%202583.7%202563.7%2025
Women's participation79.5%202561.8%202580.3%202557.3%2025
Employment rate77.5%202561.5%202582.4%202556.4%2025
Unemployment0.9%20254.4%20251.6%202511.4%2025
Female unemployment0.8%20253.5%20252.2%202512.8%2025
Youth unemployment1.7%20257.8%20252.4%202516.4%2025
Youth NEET rate11.2%202031.4%202015.2%202515.3%2025
Wage workers15.1%202514.9%202514.7%202559.6%2025
Democratic Republic of the Congo: labourTanzania: labourRwanda: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBurundi: all key statisticscountry profile