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

Gabon: the labour market

Labour force is 844,145 (2025), 149th of 187 in the world and 40th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 51.1% (2025), 159th of 187 in the world and 42nd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 41.6% (2025), 146th of 187 in the world and 42nd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force844,1452025 · world 149/187 · region 40/47Participation rate51.1%2025 · world 159/187 · region 42/47Women's participation41.6%2025 · world 146/187 · region 42/47Employment rate40.8%2025 · world 163/187 · region 41/47
Labour force
Gabon
0250,000500,000750,0001.0m1995200020052010201520202025Gabon844,145
Participation rate
GabonSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Gabon51.1%Sub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Gabon 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, total844,1452025149/18740/47363,325528,908702,619+29%since 2015527m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+51.1%2025159/18742/4748.1%49.1%47.9%+0.6 ppsince 201570.3%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+41.6%2025146/18742/4737.9%40.0%39.1%+0.2 ppsince 201565.2%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)40.8%2025163/18741/4739.5%39.1%37.7%+0.4 ppsince 201566.3%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)20.2%20256/1874/4717.8%20.4%21.3%+0.2 ppsince 20155.7%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)28.6%20257/1873/4720.7%28.9%30.1%+0.2 ppsince 20156.3%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)36.3%202513/1876/4737.0%35.9%39.7%+0.4 ppsince 201510.1%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %20.2%202470/17027/44···——17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment67.6%202596/1876/4756.2%65.9%67.0%+1.0 ppsince 201522.3%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)29.8%202592/18742/4742.3%31.5%30.5%−1.0 ppsince 201571.0%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment28.9%202563/18739/4739.7%36.3%30.3%−2.9 ppsince 201549.3%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.9%202595/1879/4710.7%12.8%16.8%+4.2 ppsince 201512.2%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment52.3%2025117/18710/4749.6%50.9%53.0%−1.3 ppsince 201538.5%52.4%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

Gabon and its neighbours

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

IndicatorGabonAngolaCameroonRepublic of the CongoEquatorial GuineaSão Tomé and Príncipe
Labour force844,145202516.3m202511.5m20252.6m2025737,977202535,0752025
Participation rate51.1%202574.8%202565.2%202567.8%202560.5%202523.3%2025
Women's participation41.6%202572.2%202556.6%202565.6%202552.6%202522.7%2025
Employment rate40.8%202564.2%202562.8%202554.3%202555.5%202521.2%2025
Unemployment20.2%202514.1%20253.6%202519.9%20258.3%20259.1%2025
Female unemployment28.6%202514.3%20254.1%202521.1%20259.3%20259.3%2025
Youth unemployment36.3%202527.2%20256.5%202540.5%202515.7%20258.8%2025
Youth NEET rate20.2%202424.9%202523.2%202122.3%200917.5%202345.5%2017
Wage workers67.6%202524.1%202530.7%202523.2%202572.5%202556.0%2025
Angola: labourCameroon: labourRepublic of the Congo: labourEquatorial Guinea: labourSão Tomé and Príncipe: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesGabon: all key statisticscountry profile