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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Lower-middle income

Djibouti: the labour market

Labour force is 267,610 (2025), 169th of 187 in the world and 23rd of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 31.7% (2025), 186th of 187 in the world and 23rd of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 19.4% (2025), 177th of 187 in the world and 14th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force267,6102025 · world 169/187 · region 23/23Participation rate31.7%2025 · world 186/187 · region 23/23Women's participation19.4%2025 · world 177/187 · region 14/23Employment rate23.5%2025 · world 186/187 · region 23/23
Labour force
Djibouti
0100,000200,000300,0001995200020052010201520202025Djibouti267,610
Participation rate
DjiboutiMiddle East, North Africa, A…Lower-middle incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Djibouti31.7%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Djibouti in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; 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, total267,6102025169/18723/23153,611196,416240,671+22%since 2015264m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+31.7%2025186/18723/2334.0%33.2%31.6%−0.8 ppsince 201547.4%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+19.4%2025177/18714/2316.3%17.1%18.3%+1.6 ppsince 201519.7%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)23.5%2025186/18723/2324.9%24.4%22.8%−0.6 ppsince 201543.7%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)26.0%20253/1871/2326.7%26.4%27.7%±0.0 ppsince 20157.8%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)35.4%20253/1872/2337.6%36.8%37.7%−0.7 ppsince 201512.1%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)76.8%20251/1871/2365.0%70.0%81.9%+4.3 ppsince 201518.7%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %44.0%20257/1701/16···—32.2%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment48.9%2025129/18720/2344.3%45.7%47.8%+1.8 ppsince 201561.0%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)30.3%202589/1877/2334.7%33.3%31.3%−1.7 ppsince 201536.1%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment1.2%2025174/18720/232.1%1.7%1.3%−0.3 ppsince 201521.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment6.7%2025182/18723/234.3%4.7%5.9%+1.4 ppsince 201526.6%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment92.2%20251/1871/2393.6%93.5%92.8%−1.1 ppsince 201551.7%37.8%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

Djibouti and its neighbours

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

IndicatorDjiboutiEthiopiaSomaliaEritrea
Labour force267,610202556.8m20253.6m20251.8m2025
Participation rate31.7%202568.5%202533.8%202578.3%2025
Women's participation19.4%202558.5%202520.7%202572.8%2025
Employment rate23.5%202566.2%202527.4%202573.7%2025
Unemployment26.0%20253.3%202518.9%20256.0%2025
Female unemployment35.4%20254.5%202524.6%20256.7%2025
Youth unemployment76.8%20255.4%202534.2%202510.2%2025
Youth NEET rate44.0%202517.5%202151.0%2022—
Wage workers48.9%202515.7%202547.8%202547.6%2025
Ethiopia: labourSomalia: labourEritrea: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesDjibouti: all key statisticscountry profile