Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 in Afghanistan stood at 38.45% in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is down 0.09 percentage points from 38.53% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 48.34% (down 9.89 percentage points since). The latest value is the lowest since 1990; the highest was 48.52% in 2017. Afghanistan ranked 178th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; North Korea ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Labor and Employment · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64, measured in %, reflects labor market conditions in Afghanistan, indicating the balance between available workers and job openings. It serves as a crucial signal of economic health, consumer spending capacity, and social stability. Labor market data typically includes multiple dimensions: unemployment rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor force participation, and wage growth. Each metric captures different aspects of job market dynamics — for example, the unemployment rate counts only those actively seeking work, while the participation rate reveals how many working-age people are engaged in the labor market. In Afghanistan, labor statistics are gathered through household surveys, employer reports, and administrative records like unemployment benefit claims. Changes in Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 often precede broader economic shifts: rising unemployment typically signals slowing economic activity, while tightening labor markets may foreshadow wage pressures and inflation.
Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 in Afghanistan stood at 38.45% in 2025, according to World Bank.
The latest value is down 0.09 percentage points from 38.53% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 48.34% (down 9.89 percentage points since).
Afghanistan ranked 178th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; North Korea ranked first.
The latest value is the lowest since 1990; the highest was 48.52% in 2017.
| Indicator | Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 |
|---|---|
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Category | Labor and Employment |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 — Afghanistan [Data set]. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-participation-rate/AFG. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.ZS
World Bank. "Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 — Afghanistan." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-participation-rate/AFG. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 — Afghanistan." EconDash. Accessed November 8, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-participation-rate/AFG. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.ZS.
@misc{econdash_labor_force_participation_rate_afg,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Labor force participation rate, ages 15-64 --- Afghanistan}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-participation-rate/AFG},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-08. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for Afghanistan. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
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