Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China
China: Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) was 18.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China is 18.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China peaked at 54.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 18.7%, in 2025.
China ranks 77th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 54.4% | — |
| 1992 | 53.4% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 51.2% | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 48.9% | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 46.6% | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 44.8% | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 44.4% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 44.7% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 45.8% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 46.1% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 46.4% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 45.6% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 43.1% | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 41.0% | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 38.7% | -5.5% |
| 2007 | 37.0% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 35.8% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 34.4% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 33.0% | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 27.5% | -8.2% |
| 2014 | 25.4% | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 24.2% | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 23.4% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 21.9% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 20.8% | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 19.8% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 19.5% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 21.0% | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 19.7% | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 19.2% | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 18.7% | -2.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 18.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 1.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 18.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.4%, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 48.2% | 44.4% | 54.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 41.4% | 34.4% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.0% | 20.8% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 18.7% | 21.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China?
- Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) in China was 18.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.7% in 2025.
- How does China rank for employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment)?
- China ranks 77th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).