Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea
Eritrea: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 60.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea is 60.9%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea peaked at 69.5% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 60.9%, in 2023.
Eritrea ranks 14th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 69.4% | — |
| 1992 | 69.5% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 68.9% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 68.1% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 68.1% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 67.6% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 67.0% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 66.8% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 66.7% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 66.8% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 65.9% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 65.5% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 65.9% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 65.8% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 65.6% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 65.2% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 66.2% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 65.6% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 65.4% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 64.2% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 63.8% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 62.6% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 64.2% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 63.0% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 64.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 62.4% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 61.7% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 61.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 61.8% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 61.3% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 60.9% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.0% | 66.7% | 69.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 65.8% | 65.2% | 66.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.6% | 61.7% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.5% | 60.9% | 61.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
More agriculture & rural data for Eritrea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.26 % change on previous year (2009)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1412 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2009)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 90.81 current US$ per person (2009)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6546 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 14.1% (2009)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 14.1% (2009)
- Rural population 65.5% (2025)
- Rural population growth 2.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eritrea was 60.9% in 2023, according to ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 69.5% in 1992.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.9% in 2023.
- How does Eritrea rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Eritrea ranks 14th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eritrea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of people employed in agriculture includes working-age people with a job in farming, forestry, fishing, and related activities, including those temporarily absent.