Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Somalia
Somalia: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 26.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Somalia, 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 Somalia stood at 26.0%. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Somalia peaked at 39.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 26.0%, in 2023.
That places Somalia 73rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 38.8% | — |
| 1992 | 38.8% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 38.6% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 39.0% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 38.7% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 38.8% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 38.5% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 38.2% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 37.8% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 37.2% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 36.8% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 36.3% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 35.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 35.1% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 34.6% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 33.9% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 33.3% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 32.7% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 32.2% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 31.5% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 30.6% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 29.5% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 28.8% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 27.4% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 26.9% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 26.9% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 26.9% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 26.3% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 26.0% | -1.1% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 26.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 55.1%, 47% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 26.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 43.0%, 60% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.7% | 38.2% | 39.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 36.1% | 33.9% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.1% | 26.9% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.5% | 26.0% | 26.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More agriculture & rural data for Somalia
- Rural population, per capita 0.4486 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -13.31 % change on previous year (1990)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.5579 current US$ per US$ of GDP (1990)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 81.24 current US$ per person (1990)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population growth 2.2% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 55.8% (1990)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 575.39 million current US$ (1990)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 55.8% (1990)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Somalia?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Somalia was 26.0% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 1994.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.0% in 2023.
- How does Somalia rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Somalia ranks 73rd 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 Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Somalia 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.