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

Liberia: the labour market

Labour force is 2.7m (2025), 118th of 187 in the world and 31st of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 76.6% (2025), 15th of 187 in the world and 9th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 72.0% (2025), 16th of 187 in the world and 11th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force2.7m2025 · world 118/187 · region 31/47Participation rate76.6%2025 · world 15/187 · region 9/47Women's participation72.0%2025 · world 16/187 · region 11/47Employment rate74.4%2025 · world 14/187 · region 8/47
Labour force
Liberia
01.0m2.0m3.0m1995200020052010201520202025Liberia2.7m
Participation rate
LiberiaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%80%1995200020052010201520202025Liberia76.6%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Liberia 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, total2.7m2025118/18731/471.3m1.8m2.3m+29%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+76.6%202515/1879/4777.1%77.1%76.1%−0.4 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+72.0%202516/18711/4771.8%71.8%71.4%+0.1 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)74.4%202514/1878/4775.5%75.4%73.0%−0.6 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)2.9%2025152/18736/472.0%2.3%4.1%+0.3 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)2.2%2025168/18740/472.1%2.3%2.9%+0.2 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)2.3%2025182/18744/472.9%3.2%2.9%+0.4 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %39.9%201712/1706/44·24.3%·————
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment21.7%2025168/18731/4717.6%20.0%20.3%+0.7 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)76.9%202517/18715/4780.9%78.5%78.3%−0.6 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment41.1%202539/18726/4748.4%45.8%43.2%±0.0 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment8.3%2025172/18738/477.6%8.3%8.3%−0.1 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment50.5%2025124/18713/4743.9%46.0%48.5%±0.0 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

Liberia and its neighbours

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

IndicatorLiberiaCôte d'IvoireGuineaSierra Leone
Labour force2.7m202513.1m20254.7m20252.9m2025
Participation rate76.6%202567.1%202552.6%202553.4%2025
Women's participation72.0%202559.5%202542.6%202551.6%2025
Employment rate74.4%202565.5%202549.9%202551.7%2025
Unemployment2.9%20252.3%20255.2%20253.1%2025
Female unemployment2.2%20252.6%20255.0%20252.1%2025
Youth unemployment2.3%20254.0%20257.0%20253.7%2025
Youth NEET rate39.9%201718.8%202234.3%201925.9%2018
Wage workers21.7%202529.0%202518.1%202511.2%2025
Côte d'Ivoire: labourGuinea: labourSierra Leone: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesLiberia: all key statisticscountry profile