Latvia Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Latvia's industry employment was 21.84% in 2025, ranked 117th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Latvia's industry employment stood at 21.84% in 2025, a decline of +0.14% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 21.11% by 2026. Latvia ranked 117th globally.
Latvia’s share of employment in industry has fallen steadily since the early 1990s, declining from an all‑time peak of 30.61 percent in 1991 to a trough of 21.84 percent in 2025, placing the country 117th globally out of 214 economies. The 35‑year slide reflects the structural shift toward services that accompanied the country’s integration into the European Union and the adoption of market reforms after independence. By 2025 Latvia’s industry employment rate is marginally higher than that of Honduras (21.64 percent) and Albania (21.98 percent) but lower than Thailand’s 22.24 percent, underscoring its position among middle‑ranking transition economies. The persistent downward trajectory suggests that without targeted policies to boost manufacturing competitiveness or to develop high‑value industrial niches, the share of industrial jobs will likely continue to contract, reinforcing the dominance of the service sector in Latvia’s labour market.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 19.87% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 20.49% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 21.11% | - | - |
| 2025 | 21.84% | −0.14% | #117 |
| 2024 | 21.98% | −1.35% | #118 |
| 2023 | 23.32% | −0.21% | #132 |
| 2022 | 23.53% | −0.63% | #132 |
| 2021 | 24.16% | +1.41% | #134 |
| 2020 | 22.75% | −1.16% | #126 |
| 2019 | 23.91% | +0.91% | #133 |
| 2018 | 23.00% | +0.04% | #130 |
| 2017 | 22.96% | −1.16% | #127 |
| 2016 | 24.11% | +0.47% | #130 |
| 2015 | 23.65% | −0.20% | #127 |
| 2014 | 23.85% | −0.07% | #131 |
| 2013 | 23.92% | +0.44% | #134 |
| 2012 | 23.48% | +0.57% | #129 |
| 2011 | 22.91% | −0.17% | #124 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Latvia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2017. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Latvia's industry employment was 21.84% in 2025. Ranked 117th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.
Latvia's industry employment peaked at 30.61% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in Latvia was 21.84% in 2025.
Latvia ranks 117th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Latvia's industry employment is projected to reach 21.11% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Latvia in 2025 was 21.84%. This ranks 117th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_latvia_industry-employment,
title = {Latvia Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/latvia/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}