Share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil
Brazil: Share of agriculture in total employment was 16.0% in 2011. ▼ Falling
Latest (2011)
16.0%
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
21st
of 44 countries
All-time high
64.4%
in 1950
All-time low
16.0%
in 2011
Years of data
62
1950–2011
Share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil, 1950–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil is 16.0%, measured in 2011. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.2% on the previous year and down 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil peaked at 64.4% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 16.0%, in 2011.
Brazil ranks 21st of 44 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 64.4% | — |
| 1951 | 63.8% | -0.9% |
| 1952 | 63.3% | -0.8% |
| 1953 | 62.8% | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 62.3% | -0.8% |
| 1955 | 61.7% | -1.0% |
| 1956 | 61.2% | -0.8% |
| 1957 | 60.6% | -1.0% |
| 1958 | 60.1% | -0.8% |
| 1959 | 59.5% | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 58.9% | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 58.0% | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 57.0% | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 56.1% | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 55.1% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 54.1% | -1.8% |
| 1966 | 53.1% | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 52.1% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 51.1% | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 50.1% | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 49.0% | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 48.0% | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 47.0% | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 45.3% | -3.6% |
| 1974 | 43.5% | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 41.8% | -3.9% |
| 1976 | 40.0% | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 39.7% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 37.5% | -5.5% |
| 1979 | 36.2% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 38.1% | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 33.0% | -13.4% |
| 1982 | 33.3% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 30.9% | -7.2% |
| 1984 | 33.6% | +8.7% |
| 1985 | 35.0% | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 29.6% | -15.4% |
| 1987 | 28.3% | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 27.4% | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 26.7% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 27.6% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 27.2% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 26.6% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 26.0% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 24.6% | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 24.5% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 23.8% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 24.3% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 22.3% | -8.2% |
| 2001 | 21.2% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 21.0% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 21.4% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 20.9% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 19.7% | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 18.6% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 17.8% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 62.0% | 59.5% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 54.6% | 50.1% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 42.8% | 36.2% | 49.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.6% | 26.7% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.8% | 23.8% | 27.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 17.4% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 16.0% | 16.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
- 18 Colombia 18.6% compare
- 19 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 18.2% compare
- 20 South Africa 16.8% compare
- 22 Mexico 14.1% compare
- 23 Costa Rica 13.7% compare
- 24 Malaysia 11.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Brazil
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0609 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 652.04 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1182 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil?
- Share of agriculture in total employment in Brazil was 16.0% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of agriculture in total employment recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 64.4% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of agriculture in total employment recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.0% in 2011.
- How does Brazil rank for share of agriculture in total employment?
- Brazil ranks 21st out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
- Is share of agriculture in total employment rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of agriculture in total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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