Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan
Pakistan: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 36.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan stood at 36.1%. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan peaked at 46.7% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 2023.
That places Pakistan 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 46.1% | — |
| 1992 | 46.7% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 45.1% | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 46.1% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 43.9% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 43.8% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 42.2% | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 43.7% | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 43.5% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 45.2% | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 44.7% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 42.1% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 42.1% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 43.1% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 43.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 43.4% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 43.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 44.7% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 43.3% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 43.4% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 42.9% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 42.2% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 42.2% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 41.0% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 39.8% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 37.4% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 38.3% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 37.9% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 37.1% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 36.4% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 36.1% | -0.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 36.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 36.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.2%, 5.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.6% | 42.2% | 46.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 43.5% | 42.1% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.3% | 37.4% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.9% | 36.1% | 37.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 40 Papua New Guinea 38.7% compare
- 41 Solomon Islands 37.6% compare
- 42 Timor-Leste 36.8% compare
- 44 Cambodia 36.0% compare
- 45 Azerbaijan 35.5% compare
- 46 Ghana 35.4% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Pakistan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2302 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 367.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.984 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6047 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 4.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Pakistan was 36.1% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 46.7% in 1992.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 2023.
- How does Pakistan rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Pakistan ranks 43rd 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 Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.