Malawi - Labor force, total

The value for Labor force, total in Malawi was 8,543,391 as of 2021. As the graph below shows, over the past 31 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 8,543,391 in 2021 and a minimum value of 4,005,516 in 1990.

Definition: Labor force comprises people 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.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database and World Bank population estimates. Labor data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 4,005,516
1991 4,076,386
1992 4,110,302
1993 4,124,652
1994 4,142,275
1995 4,179,486
1996 4,239,219
1997 4,323,484
1998 4,425,649
1999 4,536,710
2000 4,652,909
2001 4,754,603
2002 4,865,483
2003 4,985,603
2004 5,113,549
2005 5,248,924
2006 5,392,614
2007 5,543,701
2008 5,703,194
2009 5,873,988
2010 6,057,862
2011 6,248,027
2012 6,457,457
2013 6,681,735
2014 6,906,457
2015 7,136,103
2016 7,378,221
2017 7,622,794
2018 7,874,053
2019 8,137,784
2020 8,185,630
2021 8,543,391

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The labor force is the supply of labor available for producing goods and services in an economy. 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. Data are generated with World Bank population estimates and ILO estimates on labor force participation rate. The ILO estimates are harmonized to ensure comparability across countries and over time by accounting for differences in data source, scope of coverage, methodology, and other country-specific factors. The estimates are based mainly on nationally representative labor force surveys, with other sources (population censuses and nationally reported estimates) used only when no survey data are available.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

Classification

Topic: Labor & Social Protection Indicators

Sub-Topic: Labor force structure