Labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Labor force, female was 247.09 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 247.09 million for labor force, female in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 247.09 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 95.70 million, in 1990.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 16th out of 46 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 95.70 million | — |
| 1991 | 98.77 million | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 102.01 million | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 105.05 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 108.59 million | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 112.25 million | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 115.48 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 118.67 million | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 122.00 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 125.66 million | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 129.32 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 133.03 million | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 136.96 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 140.87 million | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 144.89 million | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 148.94 million | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 152.88 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 156.82 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 160.74 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 164.55 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 168.52 million | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 173.57 million | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 176.87 million | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 183.06 million | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 186.39 million | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 190.76 million | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 195.15 million | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 199.21 million | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 203.91 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 208.73 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 210.88 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 218.36 million | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 226.71 million | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 234.97 million | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 239.97 million | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 247.09 million | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 110.42 million | 95.70 million | 125.66 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 146.90 million | 129.32 million | 164.55 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 188.62 million | 168.52 million | 208.73 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 229.66 million | 210.88 million | 247.09 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 13 Philippines 21.73 million compare
- 14 Germany 20.25 million compare
- 15 Pakistan 19.39 million compare
- 16 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 19.17 million compare
- 17 Thailand 18.74 million compare
- 18 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 16.92 million compare
- 19 Tanzania, United Republic of 16.69 million compare
More gender data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.187 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 9.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-49, female 1.12 per 1,000 uninfected female population ages 15-49 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-49, male 0.5884 per 1,000 uninfected male population ages 15-49 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-24, female 1.38 per 1,000 uninfected female population ages 15-24 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-24, male 0.4268 per 1,000 uninfected male population ages 15-24 (2024)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 127.7% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 8.85 years (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Labor force, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 247.09 million in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 247.09 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.70 million in 1990.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for labor force, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 16th out of 46 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force comprises women ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.