Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union
European Union: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 3.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union is 3.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 28.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union peaked at 10.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 2025.
That places European Union 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.0% | — |
| 1992 | 9.8% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 9.6% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 9.4% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 9.1% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 8.8% | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 8.6% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 8.3% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 8.1% | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 6.9% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 6.2% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 6.0% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 5.6% | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | -8.5% |
| 2009 | 5.1% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 3.7% | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | -9.2% |
| 2025 | 3.2% | -2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.1% | 8.1% | 10.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 5.1% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.6% | 3.9% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.2% | 3.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More agriculture & rural data for European Union
- Rural population, per capita 0.2483 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 346.42 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.6% (2025)
- Rural population 112.00 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.4% (2025)
- Rural population 24.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.3% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0163 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in European Union was 3.2% 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 European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 2025.
- How does European Union rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- European Union ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this European Union 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.
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).