Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Iran

Labor force in Iran in 2025 — 29,521,716 people. Ranked 24 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 91.9%.

2025 29.52M people +0.73% vs 2024
World rank 24of 182
Period maximum 29.52M people2025
Period minimum 15.38M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Iran, 1990–202515M20M25M30M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 15,383,995 people1991: 15,745,963 people1992: 15,968,046 people1993: 15,864,775 people1994: 15,813,180 people1995: 16,072,242 people1996: 16,376,911 people1997: 17,026,577 people1998: 17,783,993 people1999: 18,602,325 people2000: 19,476,868 people2001: 20,409,991 people2002: 21,179,010 people2003: 22,044,846 people2004: 23,217,005 people2005: 24,431,517 people2006: 24,828,699 people2007: 25,004,744 people2008: 24,252,328 people2009: 25,116,620 people2010: 25,068,937 people2011: 24,409,383 people2012: 25,434,392 people2013: 25,379,809 people2014: 25,523,109 people2015: 26,476,760 people2016: 27,579,337 people2017: 28,624,101 people2018: 29,067,669 people2019: 29,161,250 people2020: 27,655,908 people2021: 27,754,866 people2022: 27,880,537 people2023: 29,026,520 people2024: 29,306,871 people2025: 29,521,716 people
Change over the period: +14.14M (+91.9%) Average annual rate: 1.88 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Iran

Iran 29.52M people
World 3.74B people
Southern Asia computed 834M people
Lower-middle-income countries computed 1.34B people
Labor force — Iran, by year Iran All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 29.52M +214,845 +0.73%
2024 29.31M +280,351 +0.97%
2023 29.03M +1.15M +4.11%
2022 27.88M +125,671 +0.45%
2021 27.75M +98,958 +0.36%
2020 27.66M −1.51M −5.16%
2019 29.16M +93,581 +0.32%
2018 29.07M +443,568 +1.55%
2017 28.62M +1.04M +3.79%
2016 27.58M +1.1M +4.16%
2015 26.48M +953,651 +3.74%
2014 25.52M +143,300 +0.56%
2013 25.38M −54,583 −0.21%
2012 25.43M +1.03M +4.2%
2011 24.41M −659,554 −2.63%
2010 25.07M −47,683 −0.19%
2009 25.12M +864,292 +3.56%
2008 24.25M −752,416 −3.01%
2007 25M +176,045 +0.71%
2006 24.83M +397,182 +1.63%
2005 24.43M +1.21M +5.23%
2004 23.22M +1.17M +5.32%
2003 22.04M +865,836 +4.09%
2002 21.18M +769,019 +3.77%
2001 20.41M +933,123 +4.79%
2000 19.48M +874,543 +4.7%
1999 18.6M +818,332 +4.6%
1998 17.78M +757,416 +4.45%
1997 17.03M +649,666 +3.97%
1996 16.38M +304,669 +1.9%
1995 16.07M +259,062 +1.64%
1994 15.81M −51,595 −0.33%
1993 15.86M −103,271 −0.65%
1992 15.97M +222,083 +1.41%
1991 15.75M +361,968 +2.35%
1990 15.38M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.