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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income

The Gambia: the labour market

Labour force is 807,275 (2025), 150th of 187 in the world and 41st of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 47.5% (2025), 165th of 187 in the world and 43rd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 45.5% (2025), 137th of 187 in the world and 40th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force807,2752025 · world 150/187 · region 41/47Participation rate47.5%2025 · world 165/187 · region 43/47Women's participation45.5%2025 · world 137/187 · region 40/47Employment rate44.4%2025 · world 160/187 · region 40/47
Labour force
The Gambia
0250,000500,000750,0001.0m1995200020052010201520202025The Gambia807,275
Participation rate
The GambiaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025The Gambia47.5%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: The Gambia 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, total807,2752025150/18741/47374,537514,388695,109+34%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+47.5%2025165/18743/4748.4%48.1%47.7%−0.4 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+45.5%2025137/18740/4745.5%45.5%44.8%+1.0 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)44.4%2025160/18740/4743.7%43.5%44.9%±0.0 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)6.5%202570/18719/479.7%9.7%5.8%−0.7 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.1%202589/18724/4712.4%12.3%4.7%−2.1 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.9%2025107/18720/4714.3%14.1%10.1%−0.2 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %36.5%202519/17011/44·31.1%201229.0%2018+5.4 ppsince 2012———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment31.4%2025152/18721/4722.2%23.9%28.3%+5.1 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)63.5%202536/18728/4776.3%74.7%67.6%−7.7 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment27.6%202566/18740/4731.7%29.9%29.8%−3.0 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.8%202597/18710/4716.1%16.0%17.6%+2.3 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment53.6%2025111/1878/4752.3%54.1%52.6%+0.7 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

The Gambia and its neighbours

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

IndicatorThe GambiaSenegal
Labour force807,27520256.1m2025
Participation rate47.5%202552.0%2025
Women's participation45.5%202538.2%2025
Employment rate44.4%202550.6%2025
Unemployment6.5%20252.7%2025
Female unemployment6.1%20253.1%2025
Youth unemployment10.9%20253.6%2025
Youth NEET rate36.5%202534.3%2025
Wage workers31.4%202535.7%2025
Senegal: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesThe Gambia: all key statisticscountry profile