Countries With the Fastest Growth 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 rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Syrian Arab Republic rose the most: by 36.8%, from 4.94 million people to 6.76 million people in the five years to 2025. Niger is second (+31%), followed by St. Lucia (+30.7%). 168 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +11.5%.
- #1
- Syrian Arab Republic · +36.8%
- Median
- +11.5%
- Coverage
- 168 countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syrian Arab Republic | 4,944,500 | 6,764,800 | +36.8% |
| 2 | Niger | 9,140,900 | 11,971,000 | +31% |
| 3 | St. Lucia | 77,845 | 101,770 | +30.7% |
| 4 | Oman | 2,220,600 | 2,843,400 | +28% |
| 5 | Chad | 5,321,500 | 6,746,500 | +26.8% |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | 14,673,000 | 18,384,000 | +25.3% |
| 7 | Botswana | 973,490 | 1,199,400 | +23.2% |
| 8 | Uganda | 18,997,000 | 23,394,000 | +23.1% |
| 9 | United Arab Emirates | 6,178,300 | 7,602,900 | +23.1% |
| 10 | Philippines | 42,533,000 | 52,204,000 | +22.7% |
| 11 | South Sudan | 4,140,100 | 5,070,300 | +22.5% |
| 12 | Zambia | 6,574,300 | 8,011,400 | +21.9% |
| 13 | Equatorial Guinea | 607,640 | 737,980 | +21.5% |
| 14 | Mali | 7,540,100 | 9,156,600 | +21.4% |
| 15 | Congo, Rep. | 2,175,600 | 2,641,300 | +21.4% |
| 16 | Belize | 151,950 | 184,290 | +21.3% |
| 17 | Kuwait | 2,417,100 | 2,927,900 | +21.1% |
| 18 | Angola | 13,485,000 | 16,321,000 | +21% |
| 19 | Senegal | 5,080,700 | 6,131,200 | +20.7% |
| 20 | Côte d'Ivoire | 10,849,000 | 13,068,000 | +20.5% |
| 21 | Guinea-Bissau | 748,180 | 899,220 | +20.2% |
| 22 | Gabon | 702,620 | 844,150 | +20.1% |
| 23 | Nigeria | 97,041,000 | 116,580,000 | +20.1% |
| 24 | Namibia | 960,250 | 1,152,800 | +20.1% |
| 25 | Burundi | 5,256,700 | 6,308,200 | +20% |
| 26 | Iraq | 10,441,000 | 12,493,000 | +19.7% |
| 27 | South Africa | 22,348,000 | 26,732,000 | +19.6% |
| 28 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 2,972,900 | 3,555,400 | +19.6% |
| 29 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 32,852,000 | 39,218,000 | +19.4% |
| 30 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 30,264,000 | 36,106,000 | +19.3% |
| 31 | Mauritania | 1,048,000 | 1,248,600 | +19.1% |
| 32 | Tanzania | 28,601,000 | 34,053,000 | +19.1% |
| 33 | Mozambique | 13,187,000 | 15,658,000 | +18.7% |
| 34 | Benin | 5,605,000 | 6,644,600 | +18.5% |
| 35 | Bolivia | 5,890,100 | 6,980,200 | +18.5% |
| 36 | Yemen, Rep. | 6,884,800 | 8,155,900 | +18.5% |
| 37 | Ireland | 2,459,900 | 2,912,700 | +18.4% |
| 38 | Maldives | 230,560 | 272,320 | +18.1% |
| 39 | Zimbabwe | 5,805,000 | 6,854,700 | +18.1% |
| 40 | West Bank and Gaza | 1,181,600 | 1,391,200 | +17.7% |
| 41 | Malta | 274,660 | 323,050 | +17.6% |
| 42 | Comoros | 264,790 | 310,840 | +17.4% |
| 43 | Rwanda | 4,981,300 | 5,843,300 | +17.3% |
| 44 | Solomon Islands | 382,870 | 448,500 | +17.1% |
| 45 | Madagascar | 14,600,000 | 17,092,000 | +17.1% |
| 46 | Algeria | 11,587,000 | 13,557,000 | +17% |
| 47 | Libya | 2,237,400 | 2,616,900 | +17% |
| 48 | Guinea | 4,051,800 | 4,722,800 | +16.6% |
| 49 | Mexico | 52,956,000 | 61,707,000 | +16.5% |
| 50 | Liberia | 2,297,100 | 2,673,800 | +16.4% |
| 51 | Kenya | 21,267,000 | 24,712,000 | +16.2% |
| 52 | Tajikistan | 2,279,400 | 2,647,900 | +16.2% |
| 53 | São Tomé and Principe | 30,200 | 35,075 | +16.1% |
| 54 | Gambia, The | 695,110 | 807,280 | +16.1% |
| 55 | Türkiye | 31,770,000 | 36,882,000 | +16.1% |
| 56 | Argentina | 19,318,000 | 22,422,000 | +16.1% |
| 57 | Eritrea | 1,520,300 | 1,763,700 | +16% |
| 58 | India | 532,530,000 | 617,630,000 | +16% |
| 59 | Chile | 8,906,800 | 10,326,000 | +15.9% |
| 60 | Ecuador | 7,753,300 | 8,977,200 | +15.8% |
| 61 | Sierra Leone | 2,538,400 | 2,935,000 | +15.6% |
| 62 | Ethiopia | 49,139,000 | 56,779,000 | +15.5% |
| 63 | Cameroon | 9,926,700 | 11,466,000 | +15.5% |
| 64 | Lao PDR | 3,161,000 | 3,650,500 | +15.5% |
| 65 | Montenegro | 257,440 | 296,620 | +15.2% |
| 66 | El Salvador | 2,595,900 | 2,989,400 | +15.2% |
| 67 | Cabo Verde | 196,820 | 226,450 | +15.1% |
| 68 | Israel | 4,204,900 | 4,828,500 | +14.8% |
| 69 | Dominican Republic | 4,805,600 | 5,512,800 | +14.7% |
| 70 | Papua New Guinea | 3,269,200 | 3,746,700 | +14.6% |
| 71 | Vanuatu | 105,800 | 120,830 | +14.2% |
| 72 | Peru | 16,861,000 | 19,243,000 | +14.1% |
| 73 | Guatemala | 6,751,400 | 7,684,800 | +13.8% |
| 74 | Timor-Leste | 559,410 | 635,490 | +13.6% |
| 75 | Pakistan | 75,333,000 | 85,158,000 | +13% |
| 76 | Guyana | 288,990 | 326,680 | +13% |
| 77 | Bahamas, The | 216,990 | 245,160 | +13% |
| 78 | Nicaragua | 2,940,100 | 3,319,200 | +12.9% |
| 79 | Bahrain | 816,390 | 919,500 | +12.6% |
| 80 | Venezuela, RB | 9,889,900 | 11,118,000 | +12.4% |
| 81 | Luxembourg | 318,370 | 355,970 | +11.8% |
| 82 | Eswatini | 385,560 | 430,870 | +11.8% |
| 83 | Uzbekistan | 13,102,000 | 14,639,000 | +11.7% |
| 84 | Togo | 2,653,200 | 2,960,800 | +11.6% |
| 85 | Canada | 20,505,000 | 22,846,000 | +11.4% |
| 86 | Australia | 13,584,000 | 15,125,000 | +11.3% |
| 87 | Djibouti | 240,670 | 267,610 | +11.2% |
| 88 | Central African Republic | 1,867,600 | 2,076,400 | +11.2% |
| 89 | Malaysia | 16,872,000 | 18,719,000 | +10.9% |
| 90 | Turkmenistan | 1,985,800 | 2,202,600 | +10.9% |
| 91 | Kyrgyz Republic | 2,587,700 | 2,868,300 | +10.8% |
| 92 | Iceland | 219,070 | 242,510 | +10.7% |
| 93 | Jamaica | 1,457,800 | 1,612,800 | +10.6% |
| 94 | Jordan | 2,914,900 | 3,220,900 | +10.5% |
| 95 | Fiji | 354,220 | 390,290 | +10.2% |
| 96 | Malawi | 7,585,000 | 8,323,700 | +9.74% |
| 97 | Burkina Faso | 9,036,200 | 9,914,900 | +9.72% |
| 98 | Guam | 71,182 | 78,007 | +9.59% |
| 99 | Singapore | 3,431,200 | 3,760,100 | +9.59% |
| 100 | Cambodia | 9,480,000 | 10,368,000 | +9.37% |
Showing the top 100 of 168. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.
About the top 10
#1 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #1 on this list with +36.8%.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#2 Niger
Niger ranks #2 on this list with +31%.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#3 St. Lucia
St. Lucia ranks #3 on this list with +30.7%.
- Capital
- Castries
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 180,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,746 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 29.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in homicide rate · #9 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #13 in population ages 15-64 share.
#4 Oman
Oman ranks #4 on this list with +28%.
- Capital
- Muscat
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$109.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,947 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 80.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Muscat.
Also ranks #1 in cereal yield · #1 in crop production index · #3 in population growth rate.
#5 Chad
Chad ranks #5 on this list with +26.8%.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#6 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia ranks #6 on this list with +25.3%.
- Capital
- Riyadh
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 36.97 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$34,537 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina.
Also ranks #2 in population growth rate · #2 in crop production index · #2 in pm2.5 air pollution exposure.
#7 Botswana
Botswana ranks #7 on this list with +23.2%.
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#8 Uganda
Uganda ranks #8 on this list with +23.1%.
- Capital
- Kampala
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$61.99 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,206 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kampala.
Also ranks #6 in renewable energy share · #6 in refugee population by asylum · #7 in agricultural land share.
#9 United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates ranks #9 on this list with +23.1%.
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 11.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$552.32 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$50,274 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 86% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah.
Also ranks #1 in population growth rate · #1 in internet users share · #2 in male population share.
#10 Philippines
Philippines ranks #10 on this list with +22.7%.
- Capital
- Manila
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 116.79 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$487.09 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,171 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Metro Manila, Quezon City, Manila.
Also ranks #4 in remittances received · #4 in low-birthweight babies share · #7 in annual freshwater withdrawals.
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 rose 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.