Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in China
China: Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) was 24.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in China, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
China recorded 24.2% for employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in China peaked at 64.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 24.2%, in 2025.
China ranks 78th 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, male (% of male employment) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 64.1% | — |
| 1992 | 62.8% | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 60.8% | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 58.8% | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 56.9% | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 55.3% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 54.5% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 54.1% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 54.0% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 53.6% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 53.3% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 53.0% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 52.0% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 50.0% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 47.9% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 45.8% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 43.9% | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 42.7% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 41.1% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 39.7% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 37.8% | -4.6% |
| 2012 | 36.6% | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 34.6% | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 32.8% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 31.7% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 30.8% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 29.9% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 29.0% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 27.9% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 26.7% | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 25.6% | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 25.4% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 24.8% | -2.4% |
| 2025 | 24.2% | -2.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 24.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.7%, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 24.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.6%, 94% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.9% | 54.0% | 64.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 48.3% | 41.1% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.1% | 27.9% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 24.2% | 26.7% | 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, male (% of male employment) in China?
- Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in China was 24.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 64.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.2% in 2025.
- How does China rank for employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment)?
- China ranks 78th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. 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, male (% of male 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).