The CIA World Factbook Edition 1996 Economy

Labor force In 36 editions of 36.

Labor force was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 1996 edition carries it in 235 entries, in its Economy section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.

entries in the 1996 edition
235
the first edition with it
1990
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Labor force” (1990 to 2025).

the entry has the field in that editionnot in that editionthe open editionEach entry below ends in its editions with Labor force, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down; choose one in a row to read that edition’s text there.

Entries with Labor force in each edition

19902000201020202025

Select a bar to open that edition.

World

1 entry

World

2.24 billion (1992)

by occupation:
NA

Africa

57 entries

Algeria

6.2 million (1992 est.)

by occupation:
  • government 29.5%,
  • agriculture 22%,
  • construction and public works 16.2%,
  • industry 13.6%,
  • commerce and services 13.5%,
  • transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)

Angola

2.783 million economically active

by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.)

Benin

1.9 million (1987)

by occupation:
agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%

Botswana

428,000 (1992)

by occupation:
  • 220,000 formal sector employees;
  • 14,300 are employed in various mines in South Africa;
  • most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.)

Burkina Faso

NA (most adults are employed in subsistence agriculture)

by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry 15%, commerce, services, and government 5%

note: 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (1984)

Burundi

1.9 million (1983 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 93.0%,
  • government 4.0%,
  • industry and commerce 1.5%,
  • services 1.5%

Cape Verde now Cabo Verde

102,000 (1985 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%,
  • services 29%,
  • industry 14% (1981)

Cameroon

NA

by occupation:
  • agriculture 74.4%,
  • industry and transport 11.4%,
  • other services 14.2% (1983)

Central African Republic

775,413 (1986 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 85%,
  • commerce and services 9%,
  • industry 3%,
  • government 3%

note: about 64,000 salaried workers (1985)

Chad

NA

by occupation:
agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Comoros

140,000 (1982)

by occupation:
agriculture 80%, government 3%

Zaire now Democratic Republic of the Congo

14.51 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65%,
  • industry 16%,
  • services 19% (1991 est.)

Congo now Republic of the Congo

79,100 wage earners

by occupation:
agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%

Cote d'Ivoire

5.718 million

by occupation:
  • over 85% of population engaged in agriculture, forestry, livestock raising;
  • about 11% of labor force are wage earners, nearly half in agriculture and the remainder in government, industry, commerce, and professions

Djibouti

282,000

by occupation:
  • agriculture 75%,
  • industry 11%,
  • services 14% (1991 est.)

Egypt

16 million (1994 est.)

by occupation:
government, public sector enterprises, and armed forces 36%, agriculture 34%, privately owned service and manufacturing enterprises 20% (1984)

note: shortage of skilled labor; 2.5 million Egyptians work abroad, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states (1993 est.)

Equatorial Guinea

172,000 (1986 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 66%,
  • services 23%,
  • industry 11% (1980)

note: labor shortages on plantations

Eritrea

NA

Swaziland now Eswatini

160,355 (1986 est.)

by occupation:
private sector about 65%, public sector 35%

Ethiopia

18 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture and animal husbandry 80%,
  • government and services 12%,
  • industry and construction 8% (1985)

Gabon

120,000 salaried

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65.0%,
  • industry and commerce 30.0%,
  • services 2.5%,
  • government 2.5%

The Gambia

400,000 (1986 est.)

by occupation:
agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%

Ghana

3.7 million

by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical 15.2%, professional 3.7%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%

Guinea

2.4 million (1983)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 80.0%,
  • industry and commerce 11.0%,
  • services 5.4%,
  • civil service 3.6%

Guinea-Bissau

403,000 (est.)

by occupation:
agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5%

Kenya

by occupation:
agriculture 75%-80% (1993 est.), non-agriculture 20%-25% (1993 est.)

Lesotho

689,000 economically active

by occupation:
86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Liberia

510,000 including 220,000 in the monetary economy

by occupation:
  • agriculture 70.5%,
  • services 10.8%,
  • industry and commerce 4.5%,
  • other 14.2%

note: non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs

Libya

1 million (includes about 280,000 resident foreigners)

by occupation:
  • industry 31%,
  • services 27%,
  • government 24%,
  • agriculture 18%

Madagascar

total workers:
4.9 million
workers not receiving money wages:
4.7 million (96% of total labor force); note - 4.3 million workers are in subsistence agriculture
wage earners:
175,400 (3.6% of total work force)
wage earners by occupation:
agriculture 45,500, domestic service 29,750, industry 26,250, commerce 24,500, construction 19,250, service 15,750, transportation 10,500, other 3,500 (1985 est.)

Malawi

428,000 wage earners

by occupation:
  • agriculture 43%,
  • manufacturing 16%,
  • personal services 15%,
  • commerce 9%,
  • construction 7%,
  • miscellaneous services 4%,
  • other permanently employed 6% (1986)

Mali

2.666 million (1986 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 80%,
  • services 19%,
  • industry and commerce 1% (1981)

Mauritania

  • 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)
by occupation:
  • agriculture 47%,
  • services 29%,
  • industry and commerce 14%,
  • government 10%

Mauritius

335,000

by occupation:
  • government services 29%,
  • agriculture and fishing 27%,
  • manufacturing 22%,
  • other 22%

Mayotte

NA

Morocco

7.4 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 50%,
  • services 26%,
  • industry 15%,
  • other 9% (1985)

Mozambique

NA

by occupation:
90% engaged in agriculture

Namibia

500,000

by occupation:
  • agriculture 60%,
  • industry and commerce 19%,
  • services 8%,
  • government 7%,
  • mining 6% (1981 est.)

Niger

2.5 million wage earners (1982)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 90%,
  • industry and commerce 6%,
  • government 4%

Nigeria

42.844 million

by occupation:
agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%

Reunion

242,169 (1993)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 30%,
  • industry 21%,
  • services 49% (1981)

Rwanda

3.6 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 93%,
  • government and services 5%,
  • industry and commerce 2%

Saint Helena now Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

2,416 (1991 est.)

by occupation:
professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987)

note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Sao Tome and Principe

most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of plantation labor and of skilled workers

Senegal

2.509 million (77% are engaged in subsistence farming; 175,000 wage earners)

by occupation:
private sector 40%, government and parapublic 60%

Seychelles

27,700 (1985)

by occupation:
industry and commerce 31%, services 21%, government 20%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 12%, other 16% (1985)

Sierra Leone

1.369 million (1981 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65%,
  • industry 19%,
  • services 16% (1981 est.)

note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Somalia

  • 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

South Africa

14.2 million economically active (1996)

by occupation:
  • services 35%,
  • agriculture 30%,
  • industry 20%,
  • mining 9%,
  • other 6%

Sudan

8.9 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 80%,
  • industry and commerce 10%,
  • government 6%

note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment (1983 est.)

Tanzania

13.495 million

by occupation:
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1986 est.)

Togo

1.538 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 64%,
  • industry 9%,
  • services 21%. unemployed 6% (1981 est.)

Tunisia

2.917 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • services 55%,
  • industry 23%,
  • agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor

Uganda

8.361 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 86%,
  • industry 4%,
  • services 10% (1980 est.)

Western Sahara

12,000

by occupation:
animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Zambia

3.4 million

by occupation:
agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%

Zimbabwe

4.228 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 70%,
  • transport and services 22%,
  • industry 8%

Arctic Region

3 entries

Greenland

22,800

Iceland

127,900

by occupation:
commerce, transportation, and services 60.0%, manufacturing 12.5%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.8%, agriculture 4.0%, other 0.9% (1990)

Svalbard

NA

Asia

22 entries

Afghanistan

4.98 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%,
  • industry 10.2%,
  • construction 6.3%,
  • commerce 5.0%,
  • services and other 10.7% (1980 est.)

Armenia

  • 1.012 million by occupation: industry and construction 46%,
  • agriculture 2%,
  • transportation and communication 7%,
  • other 45% (1992)

Azerbaijan

2.789 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 32%,
  • industry and construction 26%,
  • other 42% (1990)

Bangladesh

50.1 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65%,
  • services 21%,
  • industry and mining 14% (1989)

note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

Bhutan

NA

by occupation:
  • agriculture 93%,
  • services 5%,
  • industry and commerce 2%

note: massive lack of skilled labor

China

583.6 million (1991)

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 60%,
  • industry and commerce 25%,
  • construction and mining 5%,
  • social services 5%,
  • other 5% (1990 est.)

Georgia

2.763 million

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 31%,
  • agriculture and forestry 25%,
  • other 44% (1990)

India

314.751 million (1990)

by occupation:
agriculture 65% (1993 est.)

Japan

65.87 million (December 1994)

by occupation:
trade and services 54%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 7%, government 3%, other 3% (1988)

Kazakstan now Kazakhstan

7.356 million

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 31%,
  • agriculture and forestry 26%,
  • other 43% (1992)

Korea, North now North Korea

9.615 million

by occupation:
agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Korea, South now South Korea

20 million

by occupation:
  • services and other 52%,
  • mining and manufacturing 27%,
  • agriculture,
  • fishing,
  • forestry 21% (1991)

Kyrgyzstan

1.836 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 38%,
  • industry and construction 21%,
  • other 41% (1990)

Maldives

66,000 (est.)

by occupation:
fishing industry 25%

Mongolia

1.115 million (mid-1993 est.)

by occupation:
primarily herding/agricultural

note: over half the adult population is in the labor force, including a large percentage of women; shortage of skilled labor

Nepal

8.5 million (1991 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 93%,
  • services 5%,
  • industry 2%

note: severe lack of skilled labor

Pakistan

36 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 46%,
  • mining and manufacturing 18%,
  • services 17%,
  • other 19%

note: extensive export of labor

Russia

85 million (1993)

by occupation:
production and economic services 83.9%, government 16.1%

Sri Lanka

6.1 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 45%,
  • services 37%,
  • industry 18% (1993 est.)

Tajikistan

1.95 million (1992)

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 43%,
  • government and services 24%,
  • industry 14%,
  • trade and communications 11%,
  • construction 8% (1990)

Turkmenistan

1.642 million (January 1994)

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 44%,
  • industry and construction 20%,
  • other 36% (1992)

Uzbekistan

8.234 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture and forestry 43%,
  • industry and construction 22%,
  • other 35% (1992)

Central America and the Caribbean

31 entries

Anguilla

4,400 (1992)

by occupation:
  • commerce 36%,
  • services 29%,
  • construction 18%,
  • transportation and utilities 10%,
  • manufacturing 3%,
  • agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Antigua and Barbuda

30,000

by occupation:
  • commerce and services 82%,
  • agriculture 11%,
  • industry 7% (1983)

Aruba

NA

by occupation:
most employment is in the tourist industry (1995)

The Bahamas

136,900 (1993)

by occupation:
  • government 30%,
  • tourism 40%,
  • business services 10%,
  • agriculture 5% (1995 est.)

Barbados

126,000 (1993)

by occupation:
services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)

Belize

51,500

by occupation:
  • agriculture 30%,
  • services 16%,
  • government 15.4%,
  • commerce 11.2%,
  • manufacturing 10.3%

note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1985)

British Virgin Islands

4,911 (1980)

by occupation:
NA

Cayman Islands

8,061

by occupation:
  • service workers 18.7%,
  • clerical 18.6%,
  • construction 12.5%,
  • finance and investment 6.7%,
  • directors and business managers 5.9% (1979)

Costa Rica

868,300

by occupation:
  • industry and commerce 35.1%,
  • government and services 33%,
  • agriculture 27%,
  • other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Cuba

4.71 million economically active population (1989); 3,527,000 employed in state civilian sector (1989)

by occupation:
  • services and government 30%,
  • industry 22%,
  • agriculture 20%,
  • commerce 11%,
  • construction 10%,
  • transportation and communications 7% (June 1990)

Dominica

25,000

by occupation:
  • agriculture 40%,
  • industry and commerce 32%,
  • services 28% (1984)

Dominican Republic

2.3 million to 2.6 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 50%,
  • services and government 32%,
  • industry 18% (1991 est.)

El Salvador

1.7 million (1982 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 40%,
  • commerce 16%,
  • manufacturing 15%,
  • government 13%,
  • financial services 9%,
  • transportation 6%,
  • other 1%

Grenada

36,000

by occupation:
  • services 31%,
  • agriculture 24%,
  • construction 8%,
  • manufacturing 5%,
  • other 32% (1985)

Guadeloupe

129,700

by occupation:
  • agriculture 15%,
  • industry 20%,
  • services 65% (1993)

Guatemala

3.2 million (1994 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 60%,
  • services 13%,
  • manufacturing 12%,
  • commerce 7%,
  • construction 4%,
  • transport 3%,
  • utilities 0.7%,
  • mining 0.3% (1985)

Haiti

2.3 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 66%,
  • services 25%,
  • industry 9%

note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)

Honduras

1.3 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 62%,
  • services 20%,
  • manufacturing 9%,
  • construction 3%,
  • other 6% (1985)

Jamaica

1,062,100

by occupation:
  • services 41%,
  • agriculture 22.5%,
  • industry 19%,
  • unemployed 17.5% (1989)

Martinique

121,600

by occupation:
  • agriculture 10%,
  • industry 17%,
  • services 73% (1992)

Montserrat

5,100

by occupation:
community, social, and personal services 40.5%, construction 13.5%, trade, restaurants, and hotels 12.3%, manufacturing 10.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 8.8%, other 14.4% (1983 est.)

Netherlands Antilles

89,000

by occupation:
government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)

Nicaragua

1.086 million

by occupation:
  • services 43%,
  • agriculture 44%,
  • industry 13% (1986)

Panama

979,000 (1994 est.)

by occupation:
government and community services 31.8%, agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.8%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 16.4%, manufacturing and mining 9.4%, construction 3.2%, transportation and communications 6.2%, finance, insurance, and real estate 4.3%

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Puerto Rico

1.2 million (1993)

by occupation:
  • government 22%,
  • manufacturing 17%,
  • trade 20%,
  • construction 6%,
  • communications and transportation 5%,
  • other 30% (1993)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

18,172 (June 1995); by occupation - services 69%, manufacturing 31%

Saint Lucia

43,800

by occupation:
  • agriculture 43.4%,
  • services 38.9%,
  • industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

67,000 (1984 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture,
  • industry,
  • services,
  • other (1980 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago

404,500

by occupation:
construction and utilities 13%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 11%, services 62% (1993 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands

4,848 (1990 est.)

by occupation:
majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture

Virgin Islands

47,443 (1990 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture,
  • industry,
  • services,
  • other (1990 est.)

Europe

46 entries

Albania

1.692 million (1994 est.) (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed)

by occupation (of those domestically employed):
  • agriculture (nearly all private) 49.5%,
  • private sector 22.2%,
  • state (nonfarm) sector 28.3% (including state-owned industry 7.8%)

Andorra

NA

Austria

3.47 million (1989)

by occupation:
  • services 56.4%,
  • industry and crafts 35.4%,
  • agriculture and forestry 8.1%

note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 5% of labor force (1988)

Belarus

4.259 million

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 40%,
  • agriculture and forestry 21%,
  • other 39% (1992)

Belgium

4.126 million

by occupation:
  • services 63.6%,
  • industry 28%,
  • construction 6.1%,
  • agriculture 2.3% (1988)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

1,026,254

by occupation:
NA%

Bulgaria

3.1 million

by occupation:
  • industry 41%,
  • agriculture 18%,
  • other 41% (1992)

Croatia

1.444 million (1995)

by occupation:
  • industry and mining 31.1%,
  • agriculture 4.3%,
  • government 19.1% (including education and health),
  • other 45.5% (1993)

Czech Republic now Czechia

5.389 million

by occupation:
  • industry 37.9%,
  • agriculture 8.1%,
  • construction 8.8%,
  • communications and other 45.2% (1990)

Denmark

2,553,900

by occupation:
private services 37.1%, government services 30.4%, manufacturing and mining 20%, construction 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5.6%, electricity/gas/water 0.6% (1991)

Estonia

750,000 (1992)

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 42%,
  • agriculture and forestry 20%,
  • other 38% (1990)

Faroe Islands

17,585

by occupation:
largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce

Finland

2.533 million

by occupation:
public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%, commerce 15.0%, finance, insurance, and business services 10.2%, agriculture and forestry 8.6%, transport and communications 7.7%, construction 7.2%

France

24.17 million

by occupation:
  • services 61.5%,
  • industry 31.3%,
  • agriculture 7.2% (1987)

note: includes Corsica

Germany

36.75 million

by occupation:
  • industry 41%,
  • agriculture 6%,
  • other 53% (1987)

Gibraltar

14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

note: UK military establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force

Greece

  • 4.077 million by occupation: services 52%,
  • agriculture 23%,
  • industry 25% (1994)

Guernsey

NA

Holy See (Vatican City)

NA

by occupation:
dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

Hungary

4.8 million (1995)

by occupation:
services, trade, government, and other 47.2%, industry 29.7%, agriculture 16.1%, construction 7.0% (1991)

Ireland

1.37 million

by occupation:
services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)

Man, Isle of now Isle of Man

31,829 (1991)

by occupation:
  • manufacturing 11%,
  • construction 11%,
  • transport and communication 6%,
  • retail distribution 9%,
  • professional and scientific services 17%,
  • public administration 7%,
  • banking and finance 8%

Italy

23.988 million

by occupation:
  • services 58%,
  • industry 32.2%,
  • agriculture 9.8% (1988)

Jersey

NA

Latvia

1.407 million

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 41%,
  • agriculture and forestry 16%,
  • other 43% (1990)

Liechtenstein

20,000 of which 12,000 are foreigners; 6,885 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day

by occupation:
industry, trade, and building 48.1%, services 50.2%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 1.7% (1993)

Lithuania

1.836 million

by occupation:
  • industry and construction 42%,
  • agriculture and forestry 18%,
  • other 40% (1990)

Luxembourg

200,400 (1992) (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) by occupation: trade, restaurants, hotels 20%, mining, quarrying, manufacturing 18%, other market services 17%, community, social, personal services 14%, construction 11%, finance, insurance, real estate, business services 9%, transport, storage, communications 7%, agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing 3%, electricity, gas, water 1%

Malta

  • 139,600 (1994) by occupation: government (excluding job corps) 37%,
  • services 26%,
  • manufacturing 22%,
  • training programs 9%,
  • construction 4%,
  • agriculture 2% (1990)

Moldova

2.03 million (January 1994)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 34.4%,
  • industry 20.1%,
  • other 45.5% (1985 figures)

Monaco

NA

Netherlands

6.4 million (1993)

by occupation:
  • services 73%,
  • manufacturing and construction 23%,
  • agriculture 4% (1994)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of now North Macedonia

591,773 (June 1994)

by occupation:
manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)

Norway

2.13 million

by occupation:
services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)

Poland

17.743 million (1994 annual average)

by occupation:
industry and construction 32.0%, agriculture 27.6%, trade, transport, and communications 14.7%, government and other 25.7% (1992)

Portugal

4.24 million (1994 est.)

by occupation:
  • services 54.5%,
  • manufacturing 24.4%,
  • agriculture,
  • forestry,
  • fisheries 11.2%,
  • construction 8.3%,
  • utilities 1.0%,
  • mining 0.5% (1992)

Romania

11.3 million (1992)

by occupation:
  • industry 38%,
  • agriculture 28%,
  • other 34% (1989)

San Marino

14,874 (1993 est.)

by occupation:
industry 40%, agriculture 2%

Serbia and Montenegro

2,640,909

by occupation:
industry, mining 40% (1990)

Slovakia

2.484 million

by occupation:
  • industry 33.2%,
  • agriculture 12.2%,
  • construction 10.3%,
  • communication and other 44.3% (1990)

Slovenia

786,036

by occupation:
agriculture 2%, manufacturing and mining 46%

Spain

11.837 million

by occupation:
  • services 59%,
  • industry 21%,
  • agriculture 11%,
  • construction 9% (1993 est.)

Sweden

4.552 million (84% unionized, 1992)

by occupation:
community, social and personal services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9.0%, communications 7.2%, construction 7.0%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)

Switzerland

3.48 million (900,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)

by occupation:
  • services 50%,
  • industry and crafts 34%,
  • government 10%,
  • agriculture and forestry 6% (1992)

Ukraine

23.55 million (January 1994)

by occupation:
industry and construction 33%, agriculture and forestry 21%, health, education, and culture 16%, trade and distribution 7%, transport and communication 7%, other 16% (1992)

United Kingdom

28.048 million

by occupation:
  • services 62.8%,
  • manufacturing and construction 25.0%,
  • government 9.1%,
  • energy 1.9%,
  • agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)

Middle East

16 entries

Bahrain

140,000

by occupation:
  • industry and commerce 85%,
  • agriculture 5%,
  • services 5%,
  • government 3% (1982)

note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini

Gaza Strip

NA

by occupation:
construction 33.4%, agriculture 20.0%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 14.9%, industry 10.0%, other services 21.7% (1991)

note: excluding Israeli settlers

Iran

15.4 million

by occupation:
agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21%

note: shortage of skilled labor (1988 est.)

Iraq

4.4 million (1989)

by occupation:
  • services 48%,
  • agriculture 30%,
  • industry 22%

note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially

Israel

1.9 million (1992)

by occupation:
public services 29.3%, industry 22.1%, commerce 13.9%, finance and business 10.4%, personal and other services 7.4%, construction 6.5%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, other 0.6% (1992)

Jordan

600,000 (1992)

by occupation:
industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)

Kuwait

1 million (1994 est.)

by occupation:
  • industry and agriculture 25.0%,
  • services 25.0%,
  • government and social services 50.0%

note: 80% of labor force non-Kuwaiti (1994 est.)

Lebanon

650,000

by occupation:
  • services 60%,
  • industry 28%,
  • agriculture 12% (1990 est.)

Oman

454,000

by occupation:
agriculture 37% (1993 est.)

Qatar

233,000 (1993 est.)

Saudi Arabia

6 million-7 million

by occupation:
government 40%, industry, construction, and oil 25%, services 30%, agriculture 5%

Syria

4.7 million (1995 est.)

by occupation:
  • services 42%,
  • industry 36%,
  • agriculture 22% (1990 est.)

Turkey now Turkiye

20.9 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 46%,
  • services 31%,
  • industry 23%

note: about 1.5 million Turks work abroad (1994)

United Arab Emirates

794,400 (1993 est.)

by occupation:
  • industry and commerce 56%,
  • services 38%,
  • agriculture 6% (1990 est.)

note: 80% of labor force is foreign (est.)

West Bank

NA

by occupation:
construction 28.2%, agriculture 21.8%, industry 14.5%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 12.6%, other services 22.9% (1991)

note: excluding Israeli settlers

Yemen

  • no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers;
  • services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force

North America

5 entries

Bermuda

33,650 (1992)

by occupation:
  • clerical 25%,
  • services 22%,
  • laborers 21%,
  • professional and technical 13%,
  • administrative and managerial 10%,
  • sales 7%,
  • agriculture and fishing 2% (1984)

Canada

13.38 million

by occupation:
  • services 75%,
  • manufacturing 14%,
  • agriculture 4%,
  • construction 3%,
  • other 4% (1988)

Mexico

33.6 million (1994)

by occupation:
services 31.7%, agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing 28%, commerce 14.6%, manufacturing 11.1%, construction 8.4%, transportation 4.7%, mining and quarrying 1.5%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

2,980 (1994)

by occupation:
NA

United States

  • 132.304 million (includes unemployed) (1995)
by occupation:
managerial and professional 28.3%, technical, sales and administrative support 30.0%, services 13.5%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.3%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.8%

Oceania

25 entries

American Samoa

14,400 (1990)

by occupation:
  • government 33%,
  • tuna canneries 34%,
  • other 33% (1990)

Australia

8.63 million (September 1991)

by occupation:
  • finance and services 33.8%,
  • public and community services 22.3%,
  • wholesale and retail trade 20.1%,
  • manufacturing and industry 16.2%,
  • agriculture 6.1% (1987)

Cook Islands

5,810

by occupation:
  • agriculture 29%,
  • government 27%,
  • services 25%,
  • industry 15%,
  • other 4% (1981)

Fiji

235,000

by occupation:
  • subsistence agriculture 67%,
  • wage earners 18%,
  • salary earners 15% (1987)

French Polynesia

76,630 employed (1988)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 13%,
  • industry 19%,
  • services 68% (1992 est.)

Guam

46,930 (1990)

by occupation:
federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)

Kiribati

  • 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (1985 est.)

Marshall Islands

4,800 (1986)

by occupation:
NA

Micronesia, Federated States of now Federated States of Micronesia

NA

by occupation:
two-thirds are government employees

Nauru

by occupation:
NA

New Caledonia

70,044 (1988)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 32%,
  • industry 20%,
  • services 40%,
  • mines 8% (1992)

New Zealand

1,634,500 (September 1995)

by occupation:
  • services 64.6%,
  • industry 25.0%,
  • agriculture 10.4% (1994)

Niue

1,000 (1981 est.)

by occupation:
most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island

1,395 (1991 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands

  • 7,476 total indigenous labor force;
  • 2,699 unemployed;
  • 21,188 foreign workers (1990)
by occupation:
NA

Palau

NA

by occupation:
NA

Papua New Guinea

1.941 million

by occupation:
agriculture 64% (1993 est.)

Pitcairn Islands

14 able-bodied men (1993)

by occupation:
  • no business community in the usual sense;
  • some public works;
  • subsistence farming and fishing

Western Samoa now Samoa

45,635 (1986 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65%,
  • services 30%,
  • industry 5% (1995 est.)

Solomon Islands

26,842

by occupation:
services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)

Tokelau

NA

Tonga

32,013 (1990 est.)

by occupation:
agriculture 70% (1995 est.)

Tuvalu

NA by occupation:
NA

Vanuatu

66,597 (1989 est.)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65%,
  • services 32%,
  • industry 3% (1995 est.)

Wallis and Futuna

NA

by occupation:
agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)

South America

14 entries

Argentina

10.9 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 12%,
  • industry 31%,
  • services 57% (1985 est.)

Bolivia

3.54 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture NA%,
  • services and utilities 20%,
  • manufacturing,
  • mining and construction 7% (1993)

Brazil

57 million (1989 est.)

by occupation:
  • services 42%,
  • agriculture 31%,
  • industry 27%

Chile

4.728 million

by occupation:
services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)

Colombia

12 million (1990)

by occupation:
  • services 46%,
  • agriculture 30%,
  • industry 24% (1990)

Ecuador

2.8 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 35%,
  • manufacturing 21%,
  • commerce 16%,
  • services and other activities 28% (1982)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

1,100 (est.)

by occupation:
agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding)

French Guiana

36,597 (1993)

by occupation:
services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Guyana

268,000

by occupation:
  • industry and commerce 44.5%,
  • agriculture 33.8%,
  • services 21.7%

note: public-sector employment amounts to 60%-80% of the total labor force (1985)

Paraguay

1.692 million (1993 est.)

by occupation:
agriculture 45%

Peru

8 million (1992)

by occupation:
  • agriculture,
  • mining and quarrying,
  • manufacturing,
  • construction,
  • transport,
  • services

Suriname

98,240

by occupation:
  • agriculture,
  • industry,
  • services

Uruguay

1.355 million (1991 est.)

by occupation:
government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)

Venezuela

  • 7.6 million by occupation: services 63%,
  • industry 25%,
  • agriculture 12% (1993)

Southeast Asia

15 entries

Brunei

119,000 (1993 est.); note - includes members of the Army

by occupation:
government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)

note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)

Burma now Burma (Myanmar)

16.007 million (1992)

by occupation:
  • agriculture 65.2%,
  • industry 14.3%,
  • trade 10.1%,
  • government 6.3%,
  • other 4.1% (FY88/89 est.)

Cambodia

2.5 million to 3 million

by occupation:
agriculture 80% (1988 est.)

Christmas Island

NA

by occupation:
all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas Island, Ltd.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

NA

Hong Kong

2,915,400 (1994)

by occupation:
manufacturing 28.5%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 27.9%, services 17.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate 9.2%, transport and communications 4.5%, construction 2.5%, other 9.7% (1989)

Indonesia

67 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 55%,
  • manufacturing 10%,
  • construction 4%,
  • transport and communications 3% (1985 est.)

Laos

1 million-1.5 million

by occupation:
agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

Macau

180,000 (1986)

by occupation:
NA

Malaysia

7.627 million (1993)

Philippines

24.12 million

by occupation:
  • agriculture 46%,
  • industry and commerce 16%,
  • services 18.5%,
  • government 10%,
  • other 9.5% (1989)

Singapore

1.649 million (1994)

by occupation:
financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

Taiwan

8.874 million

by occupation:
  • services 49%,
  • industry 39%,
  • agriculture 11% (1993 est.)

Thailand

32,152,600

by occupation:
  • agriculture 57%,
  • industry 17%,
  • commerce 11%,
  • services (including government) 15% (1993 est.)

Vietnam

32.7 million

by occupation:
agricultural 65%, industrial and service 35% (1990 est.)

Cite this page

Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 1996, “Labor force”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/labor-force/1996.

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