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

Zambia: the labour market

Labour force is 8.0m (2025), 67th of 187 in the world and 19th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 61.9% (2025), 90th of 187 in the world and 27th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 56.4% (2025), 74th of 187 in the world and 27th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force8.0m2025 · world 67/187 · region 19/47Participation rate61.9%2025 · world 90/187 · region 27/47Women's participation56.4%2025 · world 74/187 · region 27/47Employment rate58.3%2025 · world 89/187 · region 25/47
Labour force
Zambia
02.5m5.0m7.5m10.0m1995200020052010201520202025Zambia8.0m
Participation rate
ZambiaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Zambia61.9%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Zambia 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, total8.0m202567/18719/473.1m4.4m6.6m+52%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+61.9%202590/18727/4759.6%59.1%60.9%+3.2 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+56.4%202574/18727/4751.1%51.5%54.4%+4.6 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)58.3%202589/18725/4751.9%51.3%57.2%+3.0 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)5.9%202580/18722/4712.9%13.2%6.0%±0.0 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.2%202588/18723/4711.4%13.0%6.6%+0.1 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.5%2025111/18721/4722.5%29.2%11.0%−1.9 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %26.7%202441/17020/44·12.9%200831.1%+13.8 ppsince 2008—21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment28.3%2025158/18725/4716.1%18.5%24.7%+3.2 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)70.2%202527/18721/4782.3%79.9%73.3%−3.2 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment54.5%202518/18717/4776.0%70.2%59.1%−6.8 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment10.3%2025163/18731/474.9%7.4%8.7%+0.5 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment35.2%2025165/18729/4719.1%22.4%32.2%+6.2 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

Zambia and its neighbours

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

IndicatorZambiaDemocratic Republic of the CongoTanzaniaAngolaMozambiqueMalawi
Labour force8.0m202539.2m202534.1m202516.3m202515.7m20258.3m2025
Participation rate61.9%202564.3%202583.7%202574.8%202578.7%202562.6%2025
Women's participation56.4%202561.8%202580.3%202572.2%202577.1%202558.2%2025
Employment rate58.3%202561.5%202582.4%202564.2%202573.5%202559.4%2025
Unemployment5.9%20254.4%20251.6%202514.1%20256.6%20255.1%2025
Female unemployment6.2%20253.5%20252.2%202514.3%20257.2%20256.0%2025
Youth unemployment10.5%20257.8%20252.4%202527.2%202511.6%20256.9%2025
Youth NEET rate26.7%202431.4%202015.2%202524.9%202519.2%202239.4%2024
Wage workers28.3%202514.9%202514.7%202524.1%202514.7%202538.7%2025
Democratic Republic of the Congo: labourTanzania: labourAngola: labourMozambique: labourMalawi: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesZambia: all key statisticscountry profile