World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Upper-middle income

Jordan: the labour market

Labour force is 3.2m (2025), 105th of 187 in the world and 14th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 40.1% (2025), 178th of 187 in the world and 19th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 16.0% (2025), 180th of 187 in the world and 17th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force3.2m2025 · world 105/187 · region 14/23Participation rate40.1%2025 · world 178/187 · region 19/23Women's participation16.0%2025 · world 180/187 · region 17/23Employment rate33.4%2025 · world 181/187 · region 19/23
Labour force
Jordan
01.0m2.0m3.0m4.0m1995200020052010201520202025Jordan3.2m
Participation rate
JordanMiddle East, North Africa, A…Upper-middle incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Jordan40.1%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Jordan 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, total3.2m2025105/18714/231.3m1.8m2.9m+37%since 2015264m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+40.1%2025178/18719/2339.4%39.5%39.9%+2.4 ppsince 201547.4%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+16.0%2025180/18717/2311.8%14.5%15.0%+2.4 ppsince 201519.7%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)33.4%2025181/18719/2334.0%34.6%32.3%+0.7 ppsince 201543.7%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)16.5%202513/1875/2313.7%12.5%19.2%+3.5 ppsince 20157.8%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)23.3%202513/1878/2321.3%21.9%25.3%+0.6 ppsince 201512.1%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)38.9%20258/1873/2331.7%30.1%42.5%+8.0 ppsince 201518.7%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %29.4%202432/1704/16··35.4%—32.2%17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment88.8%202522/1877/2381.8%84.7%88.9%+3.7 ppsince 201561.0%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)7.9%2025161/18716/2313.4%10.2%8.4%−1.9 ppsince 201536.1%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment3.1%2025147/18715/234.1%3.5%3.3%−0.3 ppsince 201521.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment16.1%2025133/18720/2320.9%24.0%17.6%−5.0 ppsince 201526.6%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment80.8%202518/1874/2374.9%72.5%79.1%+5.3 ppsince 201551.7%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

Jordan and its neighbours

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

IndicatorJordanIraqSaudi ArabiaSyriaIsrael
Labour force3.2m202512.5m202518.4m20256.8m20254.8m2025
Participation rate40.1%202541.5%202565.1%202536.9%202565.5%2025
Women's participation16.0%202510.9%202533.6%202512.7%202562.3%2025
Employment rate33.4%202535.1%202563.1%202531.9%202563.2%2025
Unemployment16.5%202515.5%20253.0%202513.6%20253.5%2025
Female unemployment23.3%202530.1%20259.7%202526.1%20253.4%2025
Youth unemployment38.9%202532.0%202510.0%202533.1%20256.0%2025
Youth NEET rate29.4%202436.9%202116.4%2025—15.3%2024
Wage workers88.8%202568.3%202594.5%202557.6%202588.7%2025
Iraq: labourSaudi Arabia: labourSyria: labourIsrael: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesJordan: all key statisticscountry profile