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

Republic of the Congo: the labour market

Labour force is 2.6m (2025), 120th of 187 in the world and 32nd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 67.8% (2025), 39th of 187 in the world and 17th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 65.6% (2025), 22nd of 187 in the world and 13th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force2.6m2025 · world 120/187 · region 32/47Participation rate67.8%2025 · world 39/187 · region 17/47Women's participation65.6%2025 · world 22/187 · region 13/47Employment rate54.3%2025 · world 119/187 · region 31/47
Labour force
Republic of the Congo
01.0m2.0m3.0m1995200020052010201520202025Republic of the Congo2.6m
Participation rate
Republic of the CongoSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Republic of the Congo67.8%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Republic of the Congo 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, total2.6m2025120/18732/471.2m1.8m2.2m+31%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+67.8%202539/18717/4768.2%67.7%64.9%−0.3 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+65.6%202522/18713/4766.3%67.1%63.3%−1.0 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)54.3%2025119/18731/4754.7%54.7%50.5%−0.1 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)19.9%20257/1875/4719.9%19.3%22.3%−0.1 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)21.1%202514/1876/4721.2%20.6%23.5%−0.2 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)40.5%20257/1874/4739.3%39.9%46.7%−0.7 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %22.3%2009——·22.3%2009·——21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment23.2%2025165/18730/4721.0%22.9%22.5%−0.5 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)75.9%202520/18716/4777.6%75.9%76.8%+0.4 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment36.4%202544/18730/4742.3%36.5%37.4%+2.1 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment19.5%202586/1878/4724.1%24.1%20.1%−4.0 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment44.2%2025148/18720/4733.6%39.5%42.5%+1.9 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

Republic of the Congo and its neighbours

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

IndicatorRepublic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoAngolaCameroonCentral African RepublicGabon
Labour force2.6m202539.2m202516.3m202511.5m20252.1m2025844,1452025
Participation rate67.8%202564.3%202574.8%202565.2%202573.4%202551.1%2025
Women's participation65.6%202561.8%202572.2%202556.6%202565.5%202541.6%2025
Employment rate54.3%202561.5%202564.2%202562.8%202568.8%202540.8%2025
Unemployment19.9%20254.4%202514.1%20253.6%20256.3%202520.2%2025
Female unemployment21.1%20253.5%202514.3%20254.1%20257.0%202528.6%2025
Youth unemployment40.5%20257.8%202527.2%20256.5%202510.1%202536.3%2025
Youth NEET rate22.3%200931.4%202024.9%202523.2%2021—20.2%2024
Wage workers23.2%202514.9%202524.1%202530.7%202514.6%202567.6%2025
Democratic Republic of the Congo: labourAngola: labourCameroon: labourCentral African Republic: labourGabon: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesRepublic of the Congo: all key statisticscountry profile