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

Eritrea: the labour market

Labour force is 1.8m (2025), 130th of 187 in the world and 34th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 78.3% (2025), 13th of 187 in the world and 7th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 72.8% (2025), 12th of 187 in the world and 8th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force1.8m2025 · world 130/187 · region 34/47Participation rate78.3%2025 · world 13/187 · region 7/47Women's participation72.8%2025 · world 12/187 · region 8/47Employment rate73.7%2025 · world 15/187 · region 9/47
Labour force
Eritrea
0500,0001.0m1.5m2.0m1995200020052010201520202025Eritrea1.8m
Participation rate
EritreaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Eritrea78.3%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: Eritrea 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, total1.8m2025130/18734/47993,7841.3m1.5m+24%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+78.3%202513/1877/4780.8%79.7%77.5%−0.9 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+72.8%202512/1878/4774.1%73.8%72.0%−0.5 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)73.7%202515/1879/4776.2%75.0%72.6%−1.0 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)6.0%202578/18721/475.7%5.9%6.4%+0.2 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.7%202577/18722/476.2%6.8%7.0%+0.3 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.2%2025113/18722/4710.2%10.5%11.1%+0.2 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment47.6%2025133/18714/4746.1%46.3%46.4%+0.9 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)47.9%202556/18734/4749.4%49.3%49.1%−0.9 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment55.5%202516/18715/4754.6%57.4%57.0%−1.9 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment12.7%2025154/18727/4712.8%13.0%12.5%−0.1 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment31.8%2025172/18735/4732.6%29.6%30.4%+2.0 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

Eritrea and its neighbours

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

IndicatorEritreaEthiopiaSudanDjibouti
Labour force1.8m202556.8m202510.9m2022267,6102025
Participation rate78.3%202568.5%202537.5%202231.7%2025
Women's participation72.8%202558.5%202514.5%202219.4%2025
Employment rate73.7%202566.2%202534.7%202223.5%2025
Unemployment6.0%20253.3%20257.5%202226.0%2025
Female unemployment6.7%20254.5%202514.0%202235.4%2025
Youth unemployment10.2%20255.4%202512.0%202276.8%2025
Wage workers47.6%202515.7%202553.5%202248.9%2025
Vulnerable employment47.9%202584.1%202539.7%202230.3%2025
Ethiopia: labourSudan: labourDjibouti: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesEritrea: all key statisticscountry profile