Maldives Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Maldives's agriculture employment was 11.31% in 2025, ranked 80th globally. This represents a 2.8% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Maldives's agriculture employment stood at 11.31% in 2025, a decline of +0.33% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 10.81% by 2026. Maldives ranked 80th globally.
Maldives’ share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen sharply over the 35‑year record, dropping from an all‑time peak of 27.49 percent in 1991 to a trough of 9.24 percent in 2016, before a modest rebound to 11.31 percent in 2025, which places the nation 80th globally. The decline reflects the archipelago’s limited arable land, the rapid expansion of tourism and services, and recurring climate stresses that have constrained crop production. By contrast, peer economies with similar rankings such as Kazakhstan (11.32 percent) and Greece (10.68 percent) maintain higher agricultural employment, partly because of larger rural populations and more diversified farm sectors. The recent uptick to 11.31 percent suggests that policy measures aimed at climate‑resilient farming and niche aquaculture could stabilize the sector, but sustained growth will depend on investment in technology, water management and market access to reverse the long‑term downward trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 9.97% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 10.39% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 10.81% | - | - |
| 2025 | 11.31% | −0.33% | #80 |
| 2024 | 11.63% | −0.39% | #81 |
| 2023 | 12.02% | −0.37% | #82 |
| 2022 | 12.39% | −0.64% | #84 |
| 2021 | 13.03% | −0.29% | #85 |
| 2020 | 13.32% | +0.06% | #85 |
| 2019 | 13.25% | +1.45% | #84 |
| 2018 | 11.80% | +1.30% | #78 |
| 2017 | 10.50% | +1.27% | #74 |
| 2016 | 9.24% | −0.60% | #71 |
| 2015 | 9.84% | −0.58% | #73 |
| 2014 | 10.42% | −0.74% | #72 |
| 2013 | 11.16% | −0.70% | #73 |
| 2012 | 11.86% | −0.57% | #74 |
| 2011 | 12.42% | −0.84% | #76 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Maldives matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2011. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Maldives's agriculture employment was 11.31% in 2025. Ranked 80th globally. This represents a 2.8% decrease from the previous year.
Maldives's agriculture employment peaked at 27.49% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Maldives was 9.24% in 2016.
Maldives ranks 80th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Maldives's agriculture employment is projected to reach 10.81% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Maldives in 2025 was 11.31%. This ranks 80th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_maldives_agriculture-employment,
title = {Maldives Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/maldives/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}