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

Democratic Republic of the Congo: the labour market

Labour force is 39.2m (2025), 17th of 187 in the world and 3rd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 64.3% (2025), 73rd of 187 in the world and 24th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 61.8% (2025), 40th of 187 in the world and 19th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force39.2m2025 · world 17/187 · region 3/47Participation rate64.3%2025 · world 73/187 · region 24/47Women's participation61.8%2025 · world 40/187 · region 19/47Employment rate61.5%2025 · world 63/187 · region 21/47
Labour force
Democratic Republic of the C…
010.0m20.0m30.0m40.0m1995200020052010201520202025Democratic Republic of the Congo39.2m
Participation rate
Democratic Republic of the C…Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Democratic Republic of the Congo64.3%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Democratic Republic of the Congo 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, total39.2m202517/1873/4719.9m25.1m32.9m+37%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+64.3%202573/18724/4772.5%68.0%63.4%−1.0 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+61.8%202540/18719/4771.4%65.1%60.3%±0.0 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)61.5%202563/18721/4770.2%65.2%60.0%−0.9 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)4.4%2025115/18727/473.2%4.1%5.4%±0.0 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.5%2025139/18732/472.5%3.3%4.2%±0.0 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)7.8%2025140/18726/475.3%7.5%9.6%−0.4 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %31.4%202027/17016/44·21.4%201231.4%+12.9 ppsince 2005———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment14.9%2025179/18739/4716.0%17.1%13.4%−1.5 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)81.5%202510/1879/4782.1%80.9%83.1%+0.5 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment58.5%202515/18714/4767.0%63.7%60.9%−1.7 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment8.0%2025174/18740/478.3%8.3%8.2%−0.5 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment33.5%2025169/18733/4724.6%28.0%30.9%+2.1 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

Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbours

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

IndicatorDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzaniaUgandaAngolaCameroonZambia
Labour force39.2m202534.1m202523.4m202516.3m202511.5m20258.0m2025
Participation rate64.3%202583.7%202580.0%202574.8%202565.2%202561.9%2025
Women's participation61.8%202580.3%202575.6%202572.2%202556.6%202556.4%2025
Employment rate61.5%202582.4%202577.8%202564.2%202562.8%202558.3%2025
Unemployment4.4%20251.6%20252.7%202514.1%20253.6%20255.9%2025
Female unemployment3.5%20252.2%20253.3%202514.3%20254.1%20256.2%2025
Youth unemployment7.8%20252.4%20254.2%202527.2%20256.5%202510.5%2025
Youth NEET rate31.4%202015.2%202513.8%202124.9%202523.2%202126.7%2024
Wage workers14.9%202514.7%202519.5%202524.1%202530.7%202528.3%2025
Tanzania: labourUganda: labourAngola: labourCameroon: labourZambia: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesDemocratic Republic of the Congo: all key statisticscountry profile