Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Zambia

Labor force in Zambia in 2025 — 8,011,366 people. Ranked 65 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 234.2%.

2025 8.01M people +3.72% vs 2024
World rank 65of 182
Period maximum 8.01M people2025
Period minimum 2.4M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Zambia, 1990–202502.5M5M7.5M10M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 2,397,170 people1991: 2,460,274 people1992: 2,522,822 people1993: 2,585,349 people1994: 2,648,159 people1995: 2,711,960 people1996: 2,778,194 people1997: 2,850,681 people1998: 2,928,130 people1999: 3,010,189 people2000: 3,100,873 people2001: 3,205,152 people2002: 3,315,125 people2003: 3,428,701 people2004: 3,547,801 people2005: 3,675,118 people2006: 3,812,820 people2007: 3,958,969 people2008: 4,112,860 people2009: 4,271,856 people2010: 4,433,254 people2011: 4,593,175 people2012: 4,755,565 people2013: 4,924,206 people2014: 5,100,623 people2015: 5,282,918 people2016: 5,472,448 people2017: 5,669,282 people2018: 5,870,382 people2019: 6,200,188 people2020: 6,574,250 people2021: 6,728,077 people2022: 6,905,885 people2023: 7,453,413 people2024: 7,724,343 people2025: 8,011,366 people
Change over the period: +5.61M (+234.2%) Average annual rate: 3.51 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Zambia 8.01M people
World 3.74B people
Sub-Saharan Africa 527M people
Eastern Africa computed 214M people
Lower-middle-income countries computed 1.34B people
Labor force — Zambia, by year Zambia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 8.01M +287,023 +3.72%
2024 7.72M +270,930 +3.63%
2023 7.45M +547,528 +7.93%
2022 6.91M +177,808 +2.64%
2021 6.73M +153,827 +2.34%
2020 6.57M +374,062 +6.03%
2019 6.2M +329,806 +5.62%
2018 5.87M +201,100 +3.55%
2017 5.67M +196,834 +3.6%
2016 5.47M +189,530 +3.59%
2015 5.28M +182,295 +3.57%
2014 5.1M +176,417 +3.58%
2013 4.92M +168,641 +3.55%
2012 4.76M +162,390 +3.54%
2011 4.59M +159,921 +3.61%
2010 4.43M +161,398 +3.78%
2009 4.27M +158,996 +3.87%
2008 4.11M +153,891 +3.89%
2007 3.96M +146,149 +3.83%
2006 3.81M +137,702 +3.75%
2005 3.68M +127,317 +3.59%
2004 3.55M +119,100 +3.47%
2003 3.43M +113,576 +3.43%
2002 3.32M +109,973 +3.43%
2001 3.21M +104,279 +3.36%
2000 3.1M +90,684 +3.01%
1999 3.01M +82,059 +2.8%
1998 2.93M +77,449 +2.72%
1997 2.85M +72,487 +2.61%
1996 2.78M +66,234 +2.44%
1995 2.71M +63,801 +2.41%
1994 2.65M +62,810 +2.43%
1993 2.59M +62,527 +2.48%
1992 2.52M +62,548 +2.54%
1991 2.46M +63,104 +2.63%
1990 2.4M

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.