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

Mauritania: the labour market

Labour force is 1.2m (2025), 140th of 187 in the world and 35th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 40.8% (2025), 177th of 187 in the world and 44th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 26.2% (2025), 170th of 187 in the world and 44th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force1.2m2025 · world 140/187 · region 35/47Participation rate40.8%2025 · world 177/187 · region 44/47Women's participation26.2%2025 · world 170/187 · region 44/47Employment rate36.6%2025 · world 173/187 · region 43/47
Labour force
Mauritania
0500,0001.0m1.5m1995200020052010201520202025Mauritania1.2m
Participation rate
MauritaniaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Mauritania40.8%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Mauritania 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, total1.2m2025140/18735/47670,649836,7331.0m+34%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+40.8%2025177/18744/4746.0%44.0%40.5%−1.3 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+26.2%2025170/18744/4728.3%27.5%25.9%−0.5 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)36.6%2025173/18743/4741.4%39.5%36.1%−1.3 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)10.3%202538/18713/4710.0%10.1%11.1%+0.2 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)14.7%202523/1879/4712.8%12.8%15.8%+2.9 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)22.9%202537/18711/4715.3%15.4%25.5%+4.4 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %44.1%20196/1704/44·39.7%201244.1%2019——21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment42.6%2025139/18715/4740.3%42.6%41.1%+0.7 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)53.3%202550/18733/4757.3%54.8%54.7%−1.5 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment32.1%202555/18735/4746.0%39.5%35.2%−4.2 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment15.0%2025141/18720/4712.5%13.4%14.2%+1.2 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment52.8%2025114/1879/4741.4%47.1%50.6%+3.0 ppsince 201538.5%37.8%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

Mauritania and its neighbours

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

IndicatorMauritaniaAlgeriaMaliSenegal
Labour force1.2m202513.6m20259.2m20256.1m2025
Participation rate40.8%202540.8%202567.0%202552.0%2025
Women's participation26.2%202514.1%202552.8%202538.2%2025
Employment rate36.6%202536.0%202565.1%202550.6%2025
Unemployment10.3%202511.6%20252.8%20252.7%2025
Female unemployment14.7%202520.6%20253.0%20253.1%2025
Youth unemployment22.9%202529.4%20253.9%20253.6%2025
Youth NEET rate44.1%201920.9%201730.1%202434.3%2025
Wage workers42.6%202569.8%202523.6%202535.7%2025
Algeria: labourMali: labourSenegal: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMauritania: all key statisticscountry profile