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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income

Madagascar: the labour market

Labour force is 17.1m (2025), 40th of 187 in the world and 8th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 85.5% (2025), 2nd of 187 in the world and 1st of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 82.9% (2025), 1st of 187 in the world and 1st of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force17.1m2025 · world 40/187 · region 8/47Participation rate85.5%2025 · world 2/187 · region 1/47Women's participation82.9%2025 · world 1/187 · region 1/47Employment rate82.9%2025 · world 3/187 · region 1/47
Labour force
Madagascar
05.0m10.0m15.0m20.0m1995200020052010201520202025Madagascar17.1m
Participation rate
MadagascarSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Madagascar85.5%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Madagascar 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, total17.1m202540/1878/477.8m10.7m14.6m+35%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+85.5%20252/1871/4786.3%86.5%84.6%−0.5 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+82.9%20251/1871/4783.9%83.9%82.2%−0.3 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)82.9%20253/1871/4781.3%82.8%81.8%−1.6 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.0%2025146/18734/475.8%4.3%3.3%+1.3 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.3%2025145/18733/475.9%5.3%3.4%+1.5 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)5.2%2025161/18734/478.4%4.8%5.9%+1.9 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %24.3%202254/17024/44·3.8%201224.3%2022+20.5 ppsince 2012———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment11.7%2025184/18744/4717.2%10.9%10.6%+1.1 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)84.4%20253/1873/4779.9%86.2%85.6%−1.2 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment69.2%20255/1875/4778.8%73.3%71.4%−5.4 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment9.9%2025166/18733/478.1%6.0%9.6%+0.7 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment20.9%2025182/18742/4713.1%20.7%19.0%+4.7 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

Madagascar and its neighbours

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

IndicatorMadagascarFranceMozambiqueComorosSeychelles
Labour force17.1m202531.9m202515.7m2025310,8412025—
Participation rate85.5%202555.3%202578.7%202555.8%2025—
Women's participation82.9%202551.5%202577.1%202547.6%2025—
Employment rate82.9%202551.2%202573.5%202553.6%2025—
Unemployment3.0%20257.5%20256.6%20253.8%2025—
Female unemployment3.3%20257.5%20257.2%20254.4%2025—
Youth unemployment5.2%202518.9%202511.6%20258.8%2025—
Youth NEET rate24.3%202211.0%202519.2%202221.2%202117.8%2025
Wage workers11.7%202586.7%202514.7%202542.1%2025—
France: labourMozambique: labourComoros: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMadagascar: all key statisticscountry profile