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

Uganda: the labour market

Labour force is 23.4m (2025), 30th of 187 in the world and 7th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 80.0% (2025), 8th of 187 in the world and 4th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 75.6% (2025), 9th of 187 in the world and 6th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force23.4m2025 · world 30/187 · region 7/47Participation rate80.0%2025 · world 8/187 · region 4/47Women's participation75.6%2025 · world 9/187 · region 6/47Employment rate77.8%2025 · world 9/187 · region 5/47
Labour force
Uganda
010.0m20.0m30.0m1995200020052010201520202025Uganda23.4m
Participation rate
UgandaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Uganda80.0%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Uganda 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, total23.4m202530/1877/478.9m12.0m19.0m+59%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+80.0%20258/1874/4774.3%73.3%78.0%+4.4 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+75.6%20259/1876/4771.2%70.7%74.0%+1.9 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)77.8%20259/1875/4771.7%70.7%75.0%+4.3 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)2.7%2025157/18738/473.5%3.6%3.8%+0.1 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.3%2025148/18734/474.4%4.3%4.4%+0.1 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)4.2%2025167/18735/475.2%5.4%5.7%+0.3 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %13.8%2021115/17040/44·21.1%13.8%2021+2.5 ppsince 2011———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment19.5%2025172/18733/4718.1%20.7%19.1%−2.1 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)74.4%202524/18720/4779.9%77.3%75.8%−2.1 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment64.9%20259/1878/4760.3%62.0%64.7%−6.9 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment7.3%2025180/18742/4718.5%12.8%7.4%+0.5 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment27.9%2025177/18739/4721.2%25.2%27.9%+6.4 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

Uganda and its neighbours

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

IndicatorUgandaDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzaniaKenyaRwandaSouth Sudan
Labour force23.4m202539.2m202534.1m202524.7m20255.8m20255.1m2023
Participation rate80.0%202564.3%202583.7%202567.4%202563.7%202573.4%2023
Women's participation75.6%202561.8%202580.3%202563.0%202557.3%202570.4%2023
Employment rate77.8%202561.5%202582.4%202563.7%202556.4%202564.3%2023
Unemployment2.7%20254.4%20251.6%20255.4%202511.4%202512.4%2023
Female unemployment3.3%20253.5%20252.2%20256.7%202512.8%202513.6%2023
Youth unemployment4.2%20257.8%20252.4%202515.2%202516.4%202518.5%2023
Youth NEET rate13.8%202131.4%202015.2%202518.5%202115.3%202529.1%2008
Wage workers19.5%202514.9%202514.7%202535.2%202559.6%202517.5%2023
Democratic Republic of the Congo: labourTanzania: labourKenya: labourRwanda: labourSouth Sudan: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesUganda: all key statisticscountry profile