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

Mozambique: the labour market

Labour force is 15.7m (2025), 42nd of 187 in the world and 10th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 78.7% (2025), 10th of 187 in the world and 6th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 77.1% (2025), 8th of 187 in the world and 5th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force15.7m2025 · world 42/187 · region 10/47Participation rate78.7%2025 · world 10/187 · region 6/47Women's participation77.1%2025 · world 8/187 · region 5/47Employment rate73.5%2025 · world 16/187 · region 10/47
Labour force
Mozambique
05.0m10.0m15.0m20.0m1995200020052010201520202025Mozambique15.7m
Participation rate
MozambiqueSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Mozambique78.7%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Mozambique 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, total15.7m202542/18710/478.5m10.3m13.2m+37%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+78.7%202510/1876/4785.0%82.2%78.1%−0.3 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+77.1%20258/1875/4787.4%82.7%76.9%−1.1 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)73.5%202516/18710/4782.6%79.6%74.2%−2.9 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)6.6%202567/18718/472.8%3.3%5.0%+3.2 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)7.2%202571/18719/471.9%3.1%5.4%+3.5 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)11.6%2025103/18719/476.0%6.9%9.7%+4.5 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %19.2%202278/17028/44··19.2%2022————
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment14.7%2025180/18740/477.6%11.7%13.8%+1.0 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)83.7%20256/1876/4788.9%85.4%84.4%−0.2 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment73.0%20252/1872/4782.3%76.5%73.2%+0.9 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment6.4%2025184/18745/473.1%5.2%6.7%−1.3 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment20.6%2025183/18743/4714.6%18.2%20.1%+0.4 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

Mozambique and its neighbours

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

IndicatorMozambiqueTanzaniaSouth AfricaMalawiZambiaZimbabwe
Labour force15.7m202534.1m202526.7m20258.3m20258.0m20256.9m2025
Participation rate78.7%202583.7%202555.6%202562.6%202561.9%202567.7%2025
Women's participation77.1%202580.3%202549.9%202558.2%202556.4%202562.2%2025
Employment rate73.5%202582.4%202537.6%202559.4%202558.3%202561.4%2025
Unemployment6.6%20251.6%202532.4%20255.1%20255.9%20259.3%2025
Female unemployment7.2%20252.2%202534.0%20256.0%20256.2%20259.4%2025
Youth unemployment11.6%20252.4%202559.9%20256.9%202510.5%202515.5%2025
Youth NEET rate19.2%202215.2%202534.6%202439.4%202426.7%202428.8%2025
Wage workers14.7%202514.7%202582.7%202538.7%202528.3%202529.2%2025
Tanzania: labourSouth Africa: labourMalawi: labourZambia: labourZimbabwe: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMozambique: all key statisticscountry profile