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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income

Somalia: the labour market

Labour force is 3.6m (2025), 100th of 187 in the world and 28th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 33.8% (2025), 184th of 187 in the world and 46th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 20.7% (2025), 175th of 187 in the world and 46th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force3.6m2025 · world 100/187 · region 28/47Participation rate33.8%2025 · world 184/187 · region 46/47Women's participation20.7%2025 · world 175/187 · region 46/47Employment rate27.4%2025 · world 184/187 · region 46/47
Labour force
Somalia
01.0m2.0m3.0m4.0m1995200020052010201520202025Somalia3.6m
Participation rate
SomaliaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Somalia33.8%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Somalia 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, total3.6m2025100/18728/471.6m2.2m3.0m+44%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+33.8%2025184/18746/4734.1%34.4%33.7%−0.3 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+20.7%2025175/18746/4721.1%20.6%20.9%−0.2 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)27.4%2025184/18746/4727.7%28.0%27.2%−0.4 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)18.9%20259/1877/4718.7%18.7%19.4%+0.5 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)24.6%202512/1875/4724.2%24.4%24.9%+0.6 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)34.2%202515/1877/4733.8%33.6%35.9%+0.9 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %51.0%20222/1701/44··43.7%2019————
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment47.8%2025131/18713/4742.1%45.2%47.2%+0.7 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)46.0%202559/18735/4751.7%48.6%46.7%−0.7 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment30.0%202560/18737/4745.6%36.4%30.1%+0.5 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment17.8%2025112/18715/4718.9%18.0%17.9%+0.5 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment52.2%2025118/18711/4735.6%45.6%52.1%−1.0 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

Somalia and its neighbours

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

IndicatorSomaliaEthiopiaKenyaDjibouti
Labour force3.6m202556.8m202524.7m2025267,6102025
Participation rate33.8%202568.5%202567.4%202531.7%2025
Women's participation20.7%202558.5%202563.0%202519.4%2025
Employment rate27.4%202566.2%202563.7%202523.5%2025
Unemployment18.9%20253.3%20255.4%202526.0%2025
Female unemployment24.6%20254.5%20256.7%202535.4%2025
Youth unemployment34.2%20255.4%202515.2%202576.8%2025
Youth NEET rate51.0%202217.5%202118.5%202144.0%2025
Wage workers47.8%202515.7%202535.2%202548.9%2025
Ethiopia: labourKenya: labourDjibouti: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSomalia: all key statisticscountry profile