Papua New Guinea Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Papua New Guinea's industry employment was 7.87% in 2025, ranked 11th globally. This represents a 2.2% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Papua New Guinea's industry employment stood at 7.87% in 2025, a rise of +0.17% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 7.86% by 2026. Papua New Guinea ranked 11th globally.
Papua New Guinea's industry employment has exhibited fluctuations over the past three and a half decades. Notably, the sector's all-time peak was reached in 1993 with 9.80% of the workforce engaged in industrial activities. Conversely, the lowest point was observed in 2013 with 7.02% of the workforce employed in industry. Since then, the number has rebounded, with the latest available figure standing at 7.87%, ranking the country eleventh globally. This value is slightly lower than that of Solomon Islands, where 7.58% of the workforce is engaged in industry. Luxembourg, with 7.64% of its workforce in industry, is also relatively close in ranking. Given the country's growth trajectory, a moderate increase in industry employment is likely in the near future, potentially driven by investments in sectors such as mining and manufacturing, which could help to boost Papua New Guinea's economic development.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 7.99% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 7.93% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 7.86% | - | - |
| 2025 | 7.87% | +0.17% | #11 |
| 2024 | 7.70% | +0.17% | #10 |
| 2023 | 7.53% | −0.06% | #10 |
| 2022 | 7.59% | −0.01% | #10 |
| 2021 | 7.59% | +0.01% | #9 |
| 2020 | 7.58% | −0.15% | #9 |
| 2019 | 7.73% | +0.02% | #8 |
| 2018 | 7.71% | −0.37% | #11 |
| 2017 | 8.08% | −0.03% | #12 |
| 2016 | 8.11% | +0.05% | #16 |
| 2015 | 8.06% | +0.20% | #14 |
| 2014 | 7.86% | +0.84% | #14 |
| 2013 | 7.02% | −0.04% | #9 |
| 2012 | 7.06% | −0.10% | #10 |
| 2011 | 7.16% | −0.36% | #12 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Papua New Guinea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2022. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Papua New Guinea's industry employment was 7.87% in 2025. Ranked 11th globally. This represents a 2.2% increase from the previous year.
Papua New Guinea's industry employment peaked at 9.80% in 1993.
The lowest industry employment in Papua New Guinea was 7.02% in 2013.
Papua New Guinea ranks 11th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Papua New Guinea's industry employment is projected to reach 7.86% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Papua New Guinea in 2025 was 7.87%. This ranks 11th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_papua-new-guinea_industry-employment,
title = {Papua New Guinea Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/papua-new-guinea/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}