Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 36.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Timor-Leste, 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 Timor-Leste stood at 36.8%. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Timor-Leste peaked at 60.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 36.8%, in 2023.
That places Timor-Leste 42nd 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 Timor-Leste, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 60.9% | — |
| 1992 | 60.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 60.5% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 60.3% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 60.0% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 59.7% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 59.5% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 59.2% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 57.4% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 55.5% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 55.7% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 55.4% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 55.6% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 54.8% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 54.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 53.7% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 52.8% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 51.4% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 51.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 51.7% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 52.9% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 53.5% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 52.1% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 50.3% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 48.5% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 46.8% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 45.0% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 42.2% | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 40.6% | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 37.8% | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 37.8% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 36.8% | -2.7% |
Timor-Leste compared with similar countries
- Timor-Leste's 36.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Timor-Leste's 36.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 26.1%, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.0% | 59.2% | 60.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 54.7% | 51.4% | 57.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.4% | 42.2% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 36.8% | 40.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Timor-Leste
- 39 Liberia 38.9% compare
- 40 Papua New Guinea 38.7% compare
- 41 Solomon Islands 37.6% compare
- 43 Pakistan 36.1% compare
- 44 Cambodia 36.0% compare
- 45 Azerbaijan 35.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Timor-Leste
- Rural population growth 1.1% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 20.2% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 376.12 million current US$ (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 20.2% (2024)
- Rural population 1.01 million (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 20.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.2% (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Rural population 71.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Timor-Leste?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Timor-Leste was 36.8% 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 Timor-Leste?
- The highest recorded value was 60.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Timor-Leste?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.8% in 2023.
- How does Timor-Leste rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Timor-Leste ranks 42nd 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 Timor-Leste?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Timor-Leste 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.