Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Middle East & North Africa

Labor force in Middle East & North Africa in 2025 — 264,222,503 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 151.2%.

2025 264M people +2.3% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 264M people2025
Period minimum 105M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Middle East & North Africa, 1990–2025100M150M200M250M300M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 105,175,299 people1991: 108,699,793 people1992: 112,237,526 people1993: 115,433,432 people1994: 119,057,889 people1995: 121,617,147 people1996: 125,732,150 people1997: 130,317,951 people1998: 134,270,502 people1999: 139,809,747 people2000: 144,270,404 people2001: 148,305,806 people2002: 151,981,620 people2003: 157,527,116 people2004: 163,574,534 people2005: 169,398,028 people2006: 174,747,469 people2007: 180,714,873 people2008: 185,012,391 people2009: 191,523,583 people2010: 197,402,102 people2011: 201,104,762 people2012: 206,705,585 people2013: 211,785,855 people2014: 215,604,730 people2015: 221,047,298 people2016: 225,854,003 people2017: 228,174,472 people2018: 230,131,011 people2019: 234,232,779 people2020: 233,528,038 people2021: 239,918,913 people2022: 246,671,299 people2023: 254,188,926 people2024: 258,287,646 people2025: 264,222,503 people
Change over the period: +159M (+151.22%) Average annual rate: 2.67 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa 264M people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — Middle East & North Africa, by year Middle East & North Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 264M +5.93M +2.3%
2024 258M +4.1M +1.61%
2023 254M +7.52M +3.05%
2022 247M +6.75M +2.81%
2021 240M +6.39M +2.74%
2020 234M −704,741 −0.3%
2019 234M +4.1M +1.78%
2018 230M +1.96M +0.86%
2017 228M +2.32M +1.03%
2016 226M +4.81M +2.17%
2015 221M +5.44M +2.52%
2014 216M +3.82M +1.8%
2013 212M +5.08M +2.46%
2012 207M +5.6M +2.79%
2011 201M +3.7M +1.88%
2010 197M +5.88M +3.07%
2009 192M +6.51M +3.52%
2008 185M +4.3M +2.38%
2007 181M +5.97M +3.41%
2006 175M +5.35M +3.16%
2005 169M +5.82M +3.56%
2004 164M +6.05M +3.84%
2003 158M +5.55M +3.65%
2002 152M +3.68M +2.48%
2001 148M +4.04M +2.8%
2000 144M +4.46M +3.19%
1999 140M +5.54M +4.13%
1998 134M +3.95M +3.03%
1997 130M +4.59M +3.65%
1996 126M +4.12M +3.38%
1995 122M +2.56M +2.15%
1994 119M +3.62M +3.14%
1993 115M +3.2M +2.85%
1992 112M +3.54M +3.25%
1991 109M +3.52M +3.35%
1990 105M

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.