Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia
Australia: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 2.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia stood at 2.2%.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia peaked at 5.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2023.
Australia ranks 157th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.9% | — |
| 1992 | 5.6% | -5.3% |
| 1993 | 5.7% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 5.5% | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 5.3% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | -10.6% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.0% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | -12.6% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | +8.1% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | -9.7% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -12.0% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | +3.8% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | -2.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.4%, 90% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.6%, 9% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 3.5% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 154 Saudi Arabia 2.5% compare
- 155 France 2.3% compare
- 156 Switzerland 2.2% compare
- 158 Slovakia 2.2% compare
- 159 Cyprus 2.2% compare
- 160 Channel Islands 2.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Australia was 2.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2023.
- How does Australia rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- Australia ranks 157th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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).