Number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden
Sweden: Number of people employed in agriculture was 92,468 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
92,468 people
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
137th
of 186 countries
All-time high
1.13 million people
in 1880
All-time low
85,871 people
in 2019
Years of data
171
1850–2025
Number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden, 1850–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 92,468 people for number of people employed in agriculture in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden peaked at 1.13 million people in 1880 and was at its lowest, 85,871 people, in 2019.
Sweden ranks 137th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 949,573 people | — |
| 1851 | 945,320 people | -0.4% |
| 1852 | 945,257 people | -0.0% |
| 1853 | 955,310 people | +1.1% |
| 1854 | 969,550 people | +1.5% |
| 1855 | 995,095 people | +2.6% |
| 1856 | 981,060 people | -1.4% |
| 1857 | 993,179 people | +1.2% |
| 1858 | 1.02 million people | +2.6% |
| 1859 | 1.04 million people | +1.6% |
| 1860 | 1.04 million people | +0.6% |
| 1861 | 1.04 million people | -0.3% |
| 1862 | 1.01 million people | -2.3% |
| 1863 | 1.04 million people | +3.0% |
| 1864 | 1.05 million people | +0.3% |
| 1865 | 1.06 million people | +1.6% |
| 1866 | 1.05 million people | -1.5% |
| 1867 | 1.06 million people | +1.4% |
| 1868 | 1.00 million people | -5.6% |
| 1869 | 1.04 million people | +3.3% |
| 1870 | 1.09 million people | +4.8% |
| 1871 | 1.09 million people | +0.4% |
| 1872 | 1.10 million people | +0.4% |
| 1873 | 1.10 million people | +0.4% |
| 1874 | 1.10 million people | +0.4% |
| 1875 | 1.11 million people | +0.3% |
| 1876 | 1.11 million people | +0.3% |
| 1877 | 1.12 million people | +0.3% |
| 1878 | 1.12 million people | +0.3% |
| 1879 | 1.12 million people | +0.4% |
| 1880 | 1.13 million people | +0.3% |
| 1881 | 1.12 million people | -0.2% |
| 1882 | 1.12 million people | -0.3% |
| 1883 | 1.12 million people | -0.2% |
| 1884 | 1.12 million people | -0.1% |
| 1885 | 1.12 million people | -0.1% |
| 1886 | 1.12 million people | -0.2% |
| 1887 | 1.11 million people | -0.3% |
| 1888 | 1.11 million people | -0.3% |
| 1889 | 1.11 million people | -0.2% |
| 1890 | 1.10 million people | -0.2% |
| 1891 | 1.10 million people | -0.2% |
| 1892 | 1.10 million people | -0.2% |
| 1893 | 1.10 million people | -0.2% |
| 1894 | 1.10 million people | -0.0% |
| 1895 | 1.10 million people | -0.1% |
| 1896 | 1.09 million people | -0.1% |
| 1897 | 1.09 million people | -0.1% |
| 1898 | 1.09 million people | -0.1% |
| 1899 | 1.09 million people | -0.1% |
| 1900 | 1.09 million people | -0.2% |
| 1901 | 1.08 million people | -0.7% |
| 1902 | 1.07 million people | -0.8% |
| 1903 | 1.06 million people | -0.8% |
| 1904 | 1.06 million people | -0.8% |
| 1905 | 1.05 million people | -0.8% |
| 1906 | 1.04 million people | -0.8% |
| 1907 | 1.03 million people | -0.8% |
| 1908 | 1.03 million people | -0.4% |
| 1909 | 1.02 million people | -0.3% |
| 1910 | 1.01 million people | -0.8% |
| 1911 | 1.01 million people | -0.3% |
| 1912 | 1.01 million people | -0.3% |
| 1913 | 1.00 million people | -0.4% |
| 1914 | 1.00 million people | -0.3% |
| 1915 | 998,447 people | -0.3% |
| 1916 | 995,969 people | -0.2% |
| 1917 | 995,560 people | -0.0% |
| 1918 | 994,436 people | -0.1% |
| 1919 | 992,435 people | -0.2% |
| 1920 | 989,866 people | -0.3% |
| 1921 | 980,043 people | -1.0% |
| 1922 | 969,798 people | -1.0% |
| 1923 | 962,958 people | -0.7% |
| 1924 | 956,588 people | -0.7% |
| 1925 | 949,777 people | -0.7% |
| 1926 | 947,278 people | -0.3% |
| 1927 | 946,073 people | -0.1% |
| 1928 | 943,098 people | -0.3% |
| 1929 | 941,183 people | -0.2% |
| 1930 | 938,713 people | -0.3% |
| 1931 | 916,700 people | -2.3% |
| 1932 | 900,921 people | -1.7% |
| 1933 | 890,592 people | -1.1% |
| 1934 | 901,676 people | +1.2% |
| 1935 | 902,058 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 898,459 people | -0.4% |
| 1937 | 887,236 people | -1.2% |
| 1938 | 884,170 people | -0.3% |
| 1939 | 873,847 people | -1.2% |
| 1940 | 853,515 people | -2.3% |
| 1941 | 819,354 people | -4.0% |
| 1942 | 784,944 people | -4.2% |
| 1943 | 750,737 people | -4.4% |
| 1944 | 746,218 people | -0.6% |
| 1945 | 739,857 people | -0.9% |
| 1946 | 710,893 people | -3.9% |
| 1947 | 694,152 people | -2.4% |
| 1948 | 679,245 people | -2.1% |
| 1949 | 667,746 people | -1.7% |
| 1950 | 644,946 people | -3.4% |
| 1951 | 625,013 people | -3.1% |
| 1952 | 604,885 people | -3.2% |
| 1953 | 584,562 people | -3.4% |
| 1954 | 564,042 people | -3.5% |
| 1955 | 543,327 people | -3.7% |
| 1956 | 522,415 people | -3.8% |
| 1957 | 501,308 people | -4.0% |
| 1958 | 480,006 people | -4.2% |
| 1959 | 458,507 people | -4.5% |
| 1960 | 436,813 people | -4.7% |
| 1961 | 419,453 people | -4.0% |
| 1962 | 401,684 people | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 383,507 people | -4.5% |
| 1964 | 364,920 people | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 345,925 people | -5.2% |
| 1966 | 331,294 people | -4.2% |
| 1967 | 316,638 people | -4.4% |
| 1968 | 301,957 people | -4.6% |
| 1969 | 287,251 people | -4.9% |
| 1970 | 272,520 people | -5.1% |
| 1971 | 256,790 people | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 241,045 people | -6.1% |
| 1973 | 227,597 people | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 224,701 people | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 217,438 people | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 208,494 people | -4.1% |
| 1977 | 202,057 people | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 202,293 people | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 197,792 people | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 193,127 people | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 186,188 people | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 182,869 people | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 179,142 people | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 177,256 people | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 173,319 people | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 158,906 people | -8.3% |
| 1992 | 151,829 people | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 140,560 people | -7.4% |
| 1994 | 138,918 people | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 144,487 people | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 133,351 people | -7.7% |
| 1997 | 131,072 people | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 124,075 people | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 125,021 people | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 123,250 people | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 114,691 people | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 109,831 people | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 110,671 people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 107,110 people | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 99,152 people | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 98,617 people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 102,290 people | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 97,532 people | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 97,987 people | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 94,862 people | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 91,743 people | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 95,349 people | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 95,142 people | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 93,251 people | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 97,597 people | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 91,982 people | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 91,004 people | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 87,529 people | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 85,871 people | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 86,615 people | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 99,546 people | +14.9% |
| 2022 | 97,149 people | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 92,620 people | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 94,640 people | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 92,468 people | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 978,851 people | 945,257 people | 1.04 million people | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.04 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.06 million people | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.11 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.12 million people | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.12 million people | 1.11 million people | 1.13 million people | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.10 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.10 million people | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.05 million people | 1.02 million people | 1.09 million people | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.00 million people | 992,435 people | 1.01 million people | 10 |
| 1920s | 958,666 people | 941,183 people | 989,866 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 899,437 people | 873,847 people | 938,713 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 744,666 people | 667,746 people | 853,515 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 552,901 people | 458,507 people | 644,946 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 358,944 people | 287,251 people | 436,813 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 225,073 people | 197,792 people | 272,520 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 181,984 people | 173,319 people | 193,127 people | 6 |
| 1990s | 138,691 people | 124,075 people | 158,906 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 106,113 people | 97,532 people | 123,250 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 92,433 people | 85,871 people | 97,597 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 93,840 people | 86,615 people | 99,546 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More agriculture & rural data for Sweden
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 15.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.015 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 949.09 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1092 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Sweden was 92,468 people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 million people in 1880.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 85,871 people in 2019.
- How does Sweden rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Sweden ranks 137th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 171 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.