Labor force — all countries

Labor force — World

Labor force in the world in 2025 — 3,736,625,386 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 60.9%.

2025 3.74B people +1.07% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 3.74B people2025
Period minimum 2.32B people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — World, 1990–20252B2.5B3B3.5B4B19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 2,322,587,072 people1991: 2,363,555,638 people1992: 2,403,576,737 people1993: 2,438,896,359 people1994: 2,482,310,968 people1995: 2,525,033,580 people1996: 2,568,708,704 people1997: 2,616,665,469 people1998: 2,663,788,405 people1999: 2,716,185,398 people2000: 2,762,297,138 people2001: 2,806,007,488 people2002: 2,851,071,777 people2003: 2,897,927,722 people2004: 2,947,396,565 people2005: 2,997,070,515 people2006: 3,039,084,034 people2007: 3,081,020,937 people2008: 3,117,244,795 people2009: 3,151,090,637 people2010: 3,182,700,274 people2011: 3,220,004,890 people2012: 3,254,539,083 people2013: 3,290,895,160 people2014: 3,324,856,330 people2015: 3,363,415,327 people2016: 3,400,659,364 people2017: 3,435,038,478 people2018: 3,471,702,582 people2019: 3,508,957,956 people2020: 3,472,746,320 people2021: 3,555,964,088 people2022: 3,599,248,427 people2023: 3,657,009,128 people2024: 3,697,172,611 people2025: 3,736,625,386 people
Change over the period: +1.41B (+60.88%) Average annual rate: 1.37 %

Comparison, 2025

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

World 3.74B people
World 3.74B people
Labor force — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 3.74B +39.45M +1.07%
2024 3.7B +40.16M +1.1%
2023 3.66B +57.76M +1.6%
2022 3.6B +43.28M +1.22%
2021 3.56B +83.22M +2.4%
2020 3.47B −36.21M −1.03%
2019 3.51B +37.26M +1.07%
2018 3.47B +36.66M +1.07%
2017 3.44B +34.38M +1.01%
2016 3.4B +37.24M +1.11%
2015 3.36B +38.56M +1.16%
2014 3.32B +33.96M +1.03%
2013 3.29B +36.36M +1.12%
2012 3.25B +34.53M +1.07%
2011 3.22B +37.3M +1.17%
2010 3.18B +31.61M +1%
2009 3.15B +33.85M +1.09%
2008 3.12B +36.22M +1.18%
2007 3.08B +41.94M +1.38%
2006 3.04B +42.01M +1.4%
2005 3B +49.67M +1.69%
2004 2.95B +49.47M +1.71%
2003 2.9B +46.86M +1.64%
2002 2.85B +45.06M +1.61%
2001 2.81B +43.71M +1.58%
2000 2.76B +46.11M +1.7%
1999 2.72B +52.4M +1.97%
1998 2.66B +47.12M +1.8%
1997 2.62B +47.96M +1.87%
1996 2.57B +43.68M +1.73%
1995 2.53B +42.72M +1.72%
1994 2.48B +43.41M +1.78%
1993 2.44B +35.32M +1.47%
1992 2.4B +40.02M +1.69%
1991 2.36B +40.97M +1.76%
1990 2.32B

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.