Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Eastern Africa

Labor force in Eastern Africa in 2025 — 213,549,100 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 167.7%.

2025 214M people +3.15% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 214M people2025
Period minimum 79.76M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Eastern Africa, 1990–202550M100M150M200M250M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 79,764,874 people1991: 82,233,749 people1992: 84,708,002 people1993: 87,080,785 people1994: 89,501,251 people1995: 92,100,732 people1996: 94,809,916 people1997: 97,544,113 people1998: 100,362,332 people1999: 103,277,097 people2000: 106,342,645 people2001: 109,501,194 people2002: 112,885,634 people2003: 116,442,200 people2004: 120,021,033 people2005: 123,692,690 people2006: 127,377,799 people2007: 131,087,104 people2008: 134,957,889 people2009: 138,932,394 people2010: 143,125,275 people2011: 148,682,607 people2012: 151,453,775 people2013: 158,755,993 people2014: 161,219,438 people2015: 164,905,165 people2016: 168,748,977 people2017: 171,918,604 people2018: 176,547,161 people2019: 181,313,154 people2020: 186,092,943 people2021: 191,375,006 people2022: 198,375,267 people2023: 205,727,747 people2024: 207,030,009 people2025: 213,549,100 people
Change over the period: +134M (+167.72%) Average annual rate: 2.85 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Eastern Africa 214M people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — Eastern Africa, by year Eastern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 214M +6.52M +3.15%
2024 207M +1.3M +0.63%
2023 206M +7.35M +3.71%
2022 198M +7M +3.66%
2021 191M +5.28M +2.84%
2020 186M +4.78M +2.64%
2019 181M +4.77M +2.7%
2018 177M +4.63M +2.69%
2017 172M +3.17M +1.88%
2016 169M +3.84M +2.33%
2015 165M +3.69M +2.29%
2014 161M +2.46M +1.55%
2013 159M +7.3M +4.82%
2012 151M +2.77M +1.86%
2011 149M +5.56M +3.88%
2010 143M +4.19M +3.02%
2009 139M +3.97M +2.94%
2008 135M +3.87M +2.95%
2007 131M +3.71M +2.91%
2006 127M +3.69M +2.98%
2005 124M +3.67M +3.06%
2004 120M +3.58M +3.07%
2003 116M +3.56M +3.15%
2002 113M +3.38M +3.09%
2001 110M +3.16M +2.97%
2000 106M +3.07M +2.97%
1999 103M +2.91M +2.9%
1998 100M +2.82M +2.89%
1997 97.54M +2.73M +2.88%
1996 94.81M +2.71M +2.94%
1995 92.1M +2.6M +2.9%
1994 89.5M +2.42M +2.78%
1993 87.08M +2.37M +2.8%
1992 84.71M +2.47M +3.01%
1991 82.23M +2.47M +3.1%
1990 79.76M

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.