Share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden
Sweden: Share of agriculture in total employment was 2.2% in 2010. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2010)
2.2%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
38th
of 44 countries
All-time high
71.4%
in 1855
All-time low
2.1%
in 2007
Years of data
161
1850–2010
Share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden, 1850–2010
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 2.2% for share of agriculture in total employment in 2010.
The figure is down 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden peaked at 71.4% in 1855 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2007.
That places Sweden 38th out of 44 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 71.3% | — |
| 1851 | 70.7% | -0.8% |
| 1852 | 70.7% | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 70.9% | +0.3% |
| 1854 | 71.0% | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 71.4% | +0.6% |
| 1856 | 70.4% | -1.4% |
| 1857 | 70.7% | +0.4% |
| 1858 | 70.9% | +0.3% |
| 1859 | 70.4% | -0.7% |
| 1860 | 69.8% | -0.9% |
| 1861 | 69.2% | -0.9% |
| 1862 | 68.9% | -0.4% |
| 1863 | 68.7% | -0.3% |
| 1864 | 67.3% | -2.0% |
| 1865 | 67.8% | +0.7% |
| 1866 | 67.3% | -0.7% |
| 1867 | 68.0% | +1.0% |
| 1868 | 67.1% | -1.3% |
| 1869 | 67.1% | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 67.4% | +0.4% |
| 1871 | 66.7% | -1.0% |
| 1872 | 66.7% | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 65.1% | -2.4% |
| 1874 | 64.3% | -1.2% |
| 1875 | 64.4% | +0.2% |
| 1876 | 62.8% | -2.5% |
| 1877 | 62.2% | -1.0% |
| 1878 | 60.6% | -2.6% |
| 1879 | 60.0% | -1.0% |
| 1880 | 61.3% | +2.2% |
| 1881 | 60.9% | -0.7% |
| 1882 | 62.1% | +2.0% |
| 1883 | 60.7% | -2.3% |
| 1884 | 61.1% | +0.7% |
| 1885 | 59.6% | -2.5% |
| 1886 | 57.7% | -3.2% |
| 1887 | 58.9% | +2.1% |
| 1888 | 58.6% | -0.5% |
| 1889 | 58.0% | -1.0% |
| 1890 | 58.1% | +0.2% |
| 1891 | 58.4% | +0.5% |
| 1892 | 57.8% | -1.0% |
| 1893 | 57.4% | -0.7% |
| 1894 | 57.0% | -0.7% |
| 1895 | 55.4% | -2.8% |
| 1896 | 56.1% | +1.3% |
| 1897 | 54.4% | -3.0% |
| 1898 | 54.0% | -0.7% |
| 1899 | 53.1% | -1.7% |
| 1900 | 52.3% | -1.5% |
| 1901 | 52.3% | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 51.8% | -1.0% |
| 1903 | 50.1% | -3.3% |
| 1904 | 49.7% | -0.8% |
| 1905 | 48.8% | -1.8% |
| 1906 | 48.4% | -0.8% |
| 1907 | 48.7% | +0.6% |
| 1908 | 48.8% | +0.2% |
| 1909 | 48.3% | -1.0% |
| 1910 | 47.8% | -1.0% |
| 1911 | 46.8% | -2.1% |
| 1912 | 46.2% | -1.3% |
| 1913 | 45.0% | -2.6% |
| 1914 | 44.7% | -0.7% |
| 1915 | 44.4% | -0.7% |
| 1916 | 44.0% | -0.9% |
| 1917 | 44.3% | +0.7% |
| 1918 | 43.3% | -2.3% |
| 1919 | 42.3% | -2.3% |
| 1920 | 41.4% | -2.1% |
| 1921 | 42.9% | +3.6% |
| 1922 | 41.9% | -2.3% |
| 1923 | 40.7% | -2.9% |
| 1924 | 40.1% | -1.5% |
| 1925 | 39.0% | -2.7% |
| 1926 | 38.2% | -2.1% |
| 1927 | 37.7% | -1.3% |
| 1928 | 36.6% | -2.9% |
| 1929 | 35.8% | -2.2% |
| 1930 | 34.5% | -3.6% |
| 1931 | 34.5% | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 34.9% | +1.2% |
| 1933 | 34.9% | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 34.0% | -2.6% |
| 1935 | 33.0% | -2.9% |
| 1936 | 32.0% | -3.0% |
| 1937 | 31.2% | -2.5% |
| 1938 | 30.5% | -2.2% |
| 1939 | 29.5% | -3.3% |
| 1940 | 29.6% | +0.3% |
| 1941 | 29.0% | -2.0% |
| 1942 | 27.0% | -6.9% |
| 1943 | 25.4% | -5.9% |
| 1944 | 25.2% | -0.8% |
| 1945 | 24.6% | -2.4% |
| 1946 | 23.3% | -5.3% |
| 1947 | 22.4% | -3.9% |
| 1948 | 21.9% | -2.2% |
| 1949 | 21.5% | -1.8% |
| 1950 | 20.8% | -3.3% |
| 1951 | 20.1% | -3.4% |
| 1952 | 19.3% | -4.0% |
| 1953 | 18.6% | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 17.9% | -3.8% |
| 1955 | 17.2% | -3.9% |
| 1956 | 16.4% | -4.7% |
| 1957 | 15.7% | -4.3% |
| 1958 | 15.0% | -4.5% |
| 1959 | 14.2% | -5.3% |
| 1960 | 13.5% | -4.9% |
| 1961 | 12.9% | -4.4% |
| 1962 | 12.2% | -5.4% |
| 1963 | 11.5% | -5.7% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | -5.2% |
| 1965 | 10.2% | -6.4% |
| 1966 | 9.8% | -3.9% |
| 1967 | 9.3% | -5.1% |
| 1968 | 8.9% | -4.3% |
| 1969 | 8.5% | -4.5% |
| 1970 | 8.0% | -5.9% |
| 1971 | 7.6% | -5.0% |
| 1972 | 7.1% | -6.6% |
| 1973 | 6.7% | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 6.5% | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 6.2% | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 5.9% | -4.8% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 5.6% | -3.4% |
| 1980 | 5.4% | -3.6% |
| 1981 | 5.2% | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 5.1% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 4.8% | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | -10.6% |
| 1988 | 4.1% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | -7.3% |
| 1990 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3.7% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3.8% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 3.2% | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | -7.4% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 70.8% | 70.4% | 71.4% | 10 |
| 1860s | 68.1% | 67.1% | 69.8% | 10 |
| 1870s | 64.0% | 60.0% | 67.4% | 10 |
| 1880s | 59.9% | 57.7% | 62.1% | 10 |
| 1890s | 56.2% | 53.1% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 1900s | 49.9% | 48.3% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 1910s | 44.9% | 42.3% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 1920s | 39.4% | 35.8% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 1930s | 32.9% | 29.5% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 1940s | 25.0% | 21.5% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 1950s | 17.5% | 14.2% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.8% | 8.5% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.5% | 5.6% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.8% | 3.8% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.5% | 3.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.1% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 35 France 3.3% compare
- 36 Netherlands 2.9% compare
- 37 Denmark 2.8% compare
- 39 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.0% compare
- 40 Belgium 1.9% compare
- 41 United States of America 1.4% compare
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 share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden?
- Share of agriculture in total employment in Sweden was 2.2% in 2010, 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 71.4% in 1855.
- What is the lowest share of agriculture in total employment recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2007.
- How does Sweden rank for share of agriculture in total employment?
- Sweden ranks 38th out of 44 countries with data for 2010.
- Is share of agriculture in total employment rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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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