Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia
Zambia: Industry jobs as a share of total employment was 10.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia stood at 10.3%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia peaked at 10.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 2000.
That places Zambia 162nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.3% | — |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 7.0% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -5.3% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 6.5% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 6.4% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | -10.6% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | -10.7% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 5.6% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 6.2% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 6.4% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.9% | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 7.4% | +8.7% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | +7.6% |
| 2013 | 8.9% | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 9.7% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 9.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 9.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.9% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 9.1% | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 10.2% | +17.4% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 9.9% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 10.0% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 10.3% | +2.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 10.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.8%, 58% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 10.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.5% | 5.4% | 7.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 4.9% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 7.4% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.8% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 159 Sierra Leone 11.5% compare
- 160 Yemen 11.1% compare
- 161 Macao 11.0% compare
- 163 Vanuatu 10.0% compare
- 164 Equatorial Guinea 9.9% compare
- 165 Madagascar 9.9% compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia?
- Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Zambia was 10.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for industry jobs as a share of total employment?
- Zambia ranks 162nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is industry jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Industry jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total employment working in the industry sector.