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

Central African Republic: the labour market

Labour force is 2.1m (2025), 126th of 187 in the world and 33rd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 73.4% (2025), 21st of 187 in the world and 13th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 65.5% (2025), 23rd of 187 in the world and 14th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force2.1m2025 · world 126/187 · region 33/47Participation rate73.4%2025 · world 21/187 · region 13/47Women's participation65.5%2025 · world 23/187 · region 14/47Employment rate68.8%2025 · world 23/187 · region 11/47
Labour force
Central African Republic
1.2m1.4m1.6m1.8m2.0m2.2m1995200020052010201520202025Central African Republic2.1m
Participation rate
Central African RepublicSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Central African Republic73.4%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: Central African Republic 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, total2.1m2025126/18733/471.5m1.8m1.9m+20%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+73.4%202521/18713/4772.6%72.7%72.7%±0.0 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+65.5%202523/18714/4765.8%65.9%64.8%+0.2 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)68.8%202523/18711/4768.5%68.6%68.0%−0.4 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)6.3%202573/18720/475.7%5.7%6.5%+0.5 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)7.0%202572/18720/476.3%6.6%7.1%+0.5 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.1%2025115/18723/4711.0%10.3%10.9%+0.3 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment14.6%2025182/18742/4714.6%15.2%13.7%+0.1 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)79.4%202513/18712/4779.4%78.9%80.4%−0.2 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment66.1%20257/1876/4765.6%63.7%65.4%+1.1 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment13.4%2025153/18726/4716.5%15.5%14.1%−1.3 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment20.5%2025184/18744/4717.9%20.9%20.5%+0.2 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

Central African Republic and its neighbours

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

IndicatorCentral African RepublicDemocratic Republic of the CongoSudanCameroonChadSouth Sudan
Labour force2.1m202539.2m202510.9m202211.5m20256.7m20255.1m2023
Participation rate73.4%202564.3%202537.5%202265.2%202559.4%202573.4%2023
Women's participation65.5%202561.8%202514.5%202256.6%202547.3%202570.4%2023
Employment rate68.8%202561.5%202534.7%202262.8%202558.8%202564.3%2023
Unemployment6.3%20254.4%20257.5%20223.6%20251.1%202512.4%2023
Female unemployment7.0%20253.5%202514.0%20224.1%20250.7%202513.6%2023
Youth unemployment10.1%20257.8%202512.0%20226.5%20251.5%202518.5%2023
Wage workers14.6%202514.9%202553.5%202230.7%20258.4%202517.5%2023
Vulnerable employment79.4%202581.5%202539.7%202267.6%202590.2%202580.3%2023
Democratic Republic of the Congo: labourSudan: labourCameroon: labourChad: labourSouth Sudan: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesCentral African Republic: all key statisticscountry profile