Countries With the Fastest Decline in Labour force size (5-Year Change)
Change in Labour force size over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Lebanon fell the most: by 12.6%, from 2.1 million people to 1.84 million people in the five years to 2023. Samoa is second (−6.68%), followed by Moldova (−6.53%). 19 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −2.6%.
- #1
- Lebanon · −12.6%
- Median
- −2.6%
- Coverage
- 19 countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lebanon | 2,102,400 | 1,837,300 | −12.6% |
| 2 | Samoa | 61,909 | 57,776 | −6.68% |
| 3 | Moldova | 1,469,100 | 1,373,100 | −6.53% |
| 4 | Ukraine | 21,763,000 | 20,539,000 | −5.62% |
| 5 | Tonga | 35,568 | 33,628 | −5.45% |
| 6 | Myanmar | 23,871,000 | 22,940,000 | −3.9% |
| 7 | Belarus | 4,982,200 | 4,795,300 | −3.75% |
| 8 | Latvia | 982,840 | 948,430 | −3.5% |
| 9 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 3,914,400 | 3,790,300 | −3.17% |
| 10 | Sri Lanka | 8,485,000 | 8,264,800 | −2.6% |
| 11 | Romania | 8,404,900 | 8,244,600 | −1.91% |
| 12 | Cuba | 4,943,300 | 4,855,900 | −1.77% |
| 13 | Azerbaijan | 5,197,900 | 5,110,200 | −1.69% |
| 14 | North Macedonia | 800,700 | 789,370 | −1.42% |
| 15 | Bulgaria | 3,132,100 | 3,090,200 | −1.34% |
| 16 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,353,700 | 1,340,700 | −0.96% |
| 17 | Russian Federation | 73,410,000 | 72,771,000 | −0.87% |
| 18 | Macao SAR, China | 403,030 | 401,570 | −0.362% |
| 19 | Poland | 18,198,000 | 18,174,000 | −0.132% |
About the top 10
#1 Lebanon
Lebanon ranks #1 on this list with −12.6%.
- Capital
- Beirut
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$25.97 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$4,473 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Beirut.
Also ranks #1 in official exchange rate · #2 in smoking prevalence · #7 in refugee population by asylum.
#2 Samoa
Samoa ranks #2 on this list with −6.68%.
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 219,310 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.29 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,873 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in rural population share · #4 in diabetes prevalence · #16 in age dependency ratio.
#3 Moldova
Moldova ranks #3 on this list with −6.53%.
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$20.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,622 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 43.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in real effective exchange rate index · #2 in female population share · #5 in arable land share.
#4 Ukraine
Ukraine ranks #4 on this list with −5.62%.
- Capital
- Kyiv
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 38.98 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$214.23 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,866 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 69.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa.
Also ranks #1 in net migration · #3 in refugee population by origin · #4 in arable land share.
#5 Tonga
Tonga ranks #5 on this list with −5.45%.
- Capital
- Nukuʻalofa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 103,740 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$679.22 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,547 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #7 in rural population share · #10 in completion rate (primary) · #11 in income share of poorest 10%.
#6 Myanmar
Myanmar ranks #6 on this list with −3.9%.
- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 54.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$81.67 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyidaw.
Also ranks #3 in smoking prevalence · #6 in refugee population by origin · #8 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
#7 Belarus
Belarus ranks #7 on this list with −3.75%.
- Capital
- Minsk
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$93.4 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,279 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Minsk.
Also ranks #2 in income share of poorest 10% · #4 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #6 in literacy rate.
#8 Latvia
Latvia ranks #8 on this list with −3.5%.
- Capital
- Riga
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$48.62 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$26,312 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in alcohol consumption per capita · #4 in death rate · #6 in female population share.
#9 Hong Kong SAR, China
Hong Kong SAR, China ranks #9 on this list with −3.17%.
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 7.5 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,983 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 85.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 3.57 million arrivals (2020)
Also ranks #1 in female population share · #1 in trade share of gdp · #2 in female life expectancy.
#10 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka ranks #10 on this list with −2.6%.
- Capital
- Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 21.76 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$108.83 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,002 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 20.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in rural population share · #9 in immunisation (measles) rate · #13 in prevalence of wasting (under-5).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Labour force size over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.TLF.TOTL.IN. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Labor force, total: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database; United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.