Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Low-income countries

Labor force in low-income countries in 2025 — 275,395,924 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 136.2%.

2025 275M people +3.05% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 275M people2025
Period minimum 117M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Low-income countries, 1990–2025100M150M200M250M300M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 116,605,292 people1991: 119,719,747 people1992: 123,252,668 people1993: 126,700,307 people1994: 130,214,853 people1995: 134,019,788 people1996: 137,643,086 people1997: 141,098,280 people1998: 144,870,640 people1999: 148,963,846 people2000: 152,952,211 people2001: 156,995,514 people2002: 161,435,860 people2003: 166,071,993 people2004: 170,778,458 people2005: 175,604,323 people2006: 180,354,924 people2007: 185,198,426 people2008: 190,143,147 people2009: 195,303,608 people2010: 200,672,964 people2011: 207,462,331 people2012: 210,202,498 people2013: 217,770,517 people2014: 220,682,765 people2015: 224,176,388 people2016: 228,925,344 people2017: 233,915,832 people2018: 240,087,364 people2019: 246,328,590 people2020: 251,041,003 people2021: 257,617,145 people2022: 266,711,897 people2023: 264,171,599 people2024: 267,250,101 people2025: 275,395,924 people
Change over the period: +159M (+136.18%) Average annual rate: 2.49 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries

Low-income countries 275M people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 275M +8.15M +3.05%
2024 267M +3.08M +1.17%
2023 264M −2.54M −0.95%
2022 267M +9.09M +3.53%
2021 258M +6.58M +2.62%
2020 251M +4.71M +1.91%
2019 246M +6.24M +2.6%
2018 240M +6.17M +2.64%
2017 234M +4.99M +2.18%
2016 229M +4.75M +2.12%
2015 224M +3.49M +1.58%
2014 221M +2.91M +1.34%
2013 218M +7.57M +3.6%
2012 210M +2.74M +1.32%
2011 207M +6.79M +3.38%
2010 201M +5.37M +2.75%
2009 195M +5.16M +2.71%
2008 190M +4.94M +2.67%
2007 185M +4.84M +2.69%
2006 180M +4.75M +2.71%
2005 176M +4.83M +2.83%
2004 171M +4.71M +2.83%
2003 166M +4.64M +2.87%
2002 161M +4.44M +2.83%
2001 157M +4.04M +2.64%
2000 153M +3.99M +2.68%
1999 149M +4.09M +2.83%
1998 145M +3.77M +2.67%
1997 141M +3.46M +2.51%
1996 138M +3.62M +2.7%
1995 134M +3.8M +2.92%
1994 130M +3.51M +2.77%
1993 127M +3.45M +2.8%
1992 123M +3.53M +2.95%
1991 120M +3.11M +2.67%
1990 117M

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.