Sweden Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Sweden's agriculture employment was 1.77% in 2025, ranked 24th globally. This represents a 2.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Sweden's agriculture employment stood at 1.77% in 2025, a decline of +0.05% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.69% by 2026. Sweden ranked 24th globally.
Sweden’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture fell from an all‑time peak of 3.51 percent in 1991 to a trough of 1.69 percent in 2019, before rising slightly to the latest 2025 figure of 1.77 percent, placing the country 24th globally. Over the 35‑year span, the decline reflects structural shifts toward services and high‑technology manufacturing, as well as continued mechanisation and consolidation of farms. The modest rebound since 2019 brings Sweden’s agricultural employment level close to that of the Netherlands (1.70 percent) and slightly above Denmark (1.62 percent), suggesting convergence with other advanced European economies that have similarly low but stable agricultural workforces. Demographic trends, climate‑policy incentives for sustainable farming and potential labour shortages in other sectors could influence future movements; however, absent major policy shifts, the share of workers in agriculture is likely to remain low and gradually inch upward.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 1.59% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 1.64% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 1.69% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.77% | −0.05% | #24 |
| 2024 | 1.81% | +0.04% | #25 |
| 2023 | 1.77% | −0.11% | #22 |
| 2022 | 1.88% | −0.10% | #23 |
| 2021 | 1.98% | +0.25% | #22 |
| 2020 | 1.73% | +0.04% | #17 |
| 2019 | 1.69% | −0.04% | #16 |
| 2018 | 1.73% | −0.10% | #18 |
| 2017 | 1.83% | −0.06% | #18 |
| 2016 | 1.89% | −0.15% | #17 |
| 2015 | 2.04% | +0.06% | #20 |
| 2014 | 1.97% | −0.06% | #18 |
| 2013 | 2.03% | −0.03% | #18 |
| 2012 | 2.06% | +0.07% | #18 |
| 2011 | 1.99% | −0.11% | #17 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Sweden matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2007. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Sweden's agriculture employment was 1.77% in 2025. Ranked 24th globally. This represents a 2.6% decrease from the previous year.
Sweden's agriculture employment peaked at 3.51% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Sweden was 1.69% in 2019.
Sweden ranks 24th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Sweden's agriculture employment is projected to reach 1.69% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Sweden in 2025 was 1.77%. This ranks 24th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_sweden_agriculture-employment,
title = {Sweden Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/sweden/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}