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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Lower-middle income

West Bank and Gaza: the labour market

Labour force is 1.4m (2022), 136th of 187 in the world and 20th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 45.0% (2022), 167th of 187 in the world and 12th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 18.9% (2022), 178th of 187 in the world and 15th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force1.4m2022 · world 136/187 · region 20/23Participation rate45.0%2022 · world 167/187 · region 12/23Women's participation18.9%2022 · world 178/187 · region 15/23Employment rate34.0%2022 · world 179/187 · region 18/23
Labour force
West Bank and Gaza
0500,0001.0m1.5m199520002005201020152020West Bank and Gaza1.4m
Participation rate
West Bank and GazaMiddle East, North Africa, A…Lower-middle incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025West Bank and Gaza45.0%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: West Bank and Gaza in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; 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, total1.4m2022136/18720/23618,184879,8141.2m+42%since 2012264m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+45.0%2022167/18712/2340.3%40.0%40.9%+3.3 ppsince 201247.4%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+18.9%2022178/18715/2312.4%14.0%16.4%+2.8 ppsince 201219.7%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)34.0%2022179/18718/2336.0%31.4%30.3%+0.3 ppsince 201243.7%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)24.4%20225/1872/2310.6%21.4%25.9%+5.2 ppsince 20127.8%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)40.0%20221/1871/238.0%21.6%39.8%+14.1 ppsince 201212.1%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)36.1%202214/1875/2315.8%36.2%42.1%+1.4 ppsince 201218.7%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %25.8%202544/1706/1631.9%28.0%30.3%−4.1 ppsince 201532.2%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment76.2%202267/18710/2365.4%67.6%72.3%+9.4 ppsince 201261.0%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)18.4%2022122/18713/2329.8%26.0%21.8%−8.4 ppsince 201236.1%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment6.3%2022125/18712/2312.5%11.9%6.5%−5.2 ppsince 201221.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment29.9%202222/1878/2327.2%22.9%28.3%+5.2 ppsince 201226.6%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment63.8%202284/18712/2360.3%65.2%65.2%+0.1 ppsince 201251.7%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

West Bank and Gaza and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with West Bank and Gaza. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorWest Bank and GazaEgyptJordanIsrael
Labour force1.4m202236.1m20253.2m20254.8m2025
Participation rate45.0%202244.6%202540.1%202565.5%2025
Women's participation18.9%202218.5%202516.0%202562.3%2025
Employment rate34.0%202241.5%202533.4%202563.2%2025
Unemployment24.4%20226.8%202516.5%20253.5%2025
Female unemployment40.0%202215.3%202523.3%20253.4%2025
Youth unemployment36.1%202218.3%202538.9%20256.0%2025
Youth NEET rate25.8%202523.8%202429.4%202415.3%2024
Wage workers76.2%202273.0%202588.8%202588.7%2025
Egypt: labourJordan: labourIsrael: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesWest Bank and Gaza: all key statisticscountry profile