Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Southern Asia

Labor force in Southern Asia in 2025 — 833,789,092 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 105.1%.

2025 834M people +1.54% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 834M people2025
Period minimum 406M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Southern Asia, 1990–2025400M600M800M1B19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 406,450,498 people1991: 417,133,858 people1992: 427,757,736 people1993: 438,378,668 people1994: 449,601,843 people1995: 462,359,930 people1996: 477,350,916 people1997: 493,075,904 people1998: 508,985,477 people1999: 524,993,803 people2000: 541,280,554 people2001: 554,394,687 people2002: 567,121,111 people2003: 579,925,633 people2004: 593,222,023 people2005: 606,019,188 people2006: 611,760,666 people2007: 617,720,187 people2008: 622,520,143 people2009: 629,532,743 people2010: 635,821,081 people2011: 641,739,443 people2012: 649,793,825 people2013: 660,395,913 people2014: 670,412,379 people2015: 683,337,688 people2016: 694,284,691 people2017: 708,138,126 people2018: 718,398,329 people2019: 729,748,814 people2020: 731,985,469 people2021: 756,074,724 people2022: 777,871,293 people2023: 800,875,973 people2024: 821,111,882 people2025: 833,789,092 people
Change over the period: +427M (+105.14%) Average annual rate: 2.07 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Southern Asia 834M people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — Southern Asia, by year Southern Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 834M +12.68M +1.54%
2024 821M +20.24M +2.53%
2023 801M +23M +2.96%
2022 778M +21.8M +2.88%
2021 756M +24.09M +3.29%
2020 732M +2.24M +0.31%
2019 730M +11.35M +1.58%
2018 718M +10.26M +1.45%
2017 708M +13.85M +2%
2016 694M +10.95M +1.6%
2015 683M +12.93M +1.93%
2014 670M +10.02M +1.52%
2013 660M +10.6M +1.63%
2012 650M +8.05M +1.26%
2011 642M +5.92M +0.93%
2010 636M +6.29M +1%
2009 630M +7.01M +1.13%
2008 623M +4.8M +0.78%
2007 618M +5.96M +0.97%
2006 612M +5.74M +0.95%
2005 606M +12.8M +2.16%
2004 593M +13.3M +2.29%
2003 580M +12.8M +2.26%
2002 567M +12.73M +2.3%
2001 554M +13.11M +2.42%
2000 541M +16.29M +3.1%
1999 525M +16.01M +3.15%
1998 509M +15.91M +3.23%
1997 493M +15.72M +3.29%
1996 477M +14.99M +3.24%
1995 462M +12.76M +2.84%
1994 450M +11.22M +2.56%
1993 438M +10.62M +2.48%
1992 428M +10.62M +2.55%
1991 417M +10.68M +2.63%
1990 406M

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.