Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 1.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, 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 United Arab Emirates is 1.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 48.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 6.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2025.
United Arab Emirates ranks 171st 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 United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.3% | — |
| 1992 | 6.2% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 6.0% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 5.9% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 5.8% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 5.8% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 5.7% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 5.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 4.6% | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 4.0% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -20.4% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -19.9% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | -2.5% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | -2.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.4%, 60% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.3%, 23% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.9% | 5.7% | 6.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 168 United States Virgin Islands 1.6% compare
- 169 Guam 1.6% compare
- 170 United States of America 1.5% compare
- 172 Barbados 1.2% compare
- 173 Brunei Darussalam 1.2% compare
- 174 Djibouti 1.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for United Arab Emirates
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0077 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 386.83 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1404 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.8% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.4% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates was 1.4% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2025.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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).