This is a list of countries by public sector size, calculated as the number of public sector employees as a percentage of the total workforce. Information is based mainly on data from the OECD and the ILO. If a source has figures for more than one year, only the most recent figure is used (with notes for exceptional circumstances).
In the former Eastern Bloc countries, the public sector in 1989 accounted for between 70% and over 90% of total employment. In China a full 78.3% of the urban labor force were employed in the public sector by 1978, the year the reform and opening up was launched, after which the rates dropped. Jin Zeng estimates the numbers were 56.4% in 1995 and 32.8% in 2003, while other estimates are higher.Unknown In 2021, public sector employees made up an estimated 23% of employees in China.
In OECD countries, the average public sector employment rate was 21.3% in 2013.
List
Country ILO (%) Other estimates (%)8.3 (2021) 7.12 (2025) 29 (2018) 15.13 (2024) 25.0 (2012) 17.2 (2024) 18 (2023) 19.3 (2020)28.9 (2021) 20.4 (2012)20 (2022) 15.2 (2014)21.9 (2022) 21.7 (World Bank publication, 2009)15.9 (2023) 3.1 (2017) 9.6 (2012) 8.4* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2010)17.1 (2019) 39.3 (2015) 72.0 (World Bank publication, 2010),40.1 (BelStat, 2017)21.1 (2019) 21.5 (2013)12.1 (2012) 25.0 (2022) 7.7 (2022) 24.5 (2022) 18.0 (2022) 12.4 (2025) 12.1 (2013)21.1 (2019) 3.42 (2024) 2.9 (2020) 0.15 (2021) 21.6 (2025) 22.4 (2013)9.6 (2025) 14.0 (2013)28.0 (2012) 4.2 (2022) 5.3* (2017, Public Spending andInvestment Commission),6.8 (2017, Colombian Insurers Federation)10.0 (2013)12.4 (2022) 29.8 (2020) 15.4 (2015) 18.0 (2013)77.6 (2012) 72.0 (2014, Third World Quarterly) 72.8 (2018, Statistical Yearbook of Cuba) 65.0 (2022, OIEI)30.2 (2020) 32.9 (2011)13.8 (2022) 7.0 (2022) 21.2 (2020) 8.1 (2022) 23.8 (2019) 22.0 (2013)6.6 (2021) 24.9 (2020) 27.0 (2013)20.1 (2024) 28.0 (2013)8.0 (2023) 17.8 (2024) 21.1 (World Bank publication, 2009)5.5 (2024) 12.9 (2013) 15.3 (2012)22.2 (2020) 14.6 (2012)40.2 (2015) 6.1 (2022) 6.8 (2018) 9.0 (2012) 7.1 (2014) 30.4 (2018) 24.8 (2012) 24.95 (2019) 3.80 (2014) 4.7* (2002)3.80 (World Bank Data and ReserveBank of India Data, 2012)8.7 (2022) 14.9 (2020) 37.4 (2021) 21.9 (2019) 19.5 (2014) 31.4 (2021) 20.7 (2007) 16.0 (2013) 18.3 (2013)7.7 (2019) 12.9 (2014)24.3 (2019) 23.3 (2012) 20.8 (World Bank publication, 2009)27.8 (2020) 20.8 (World Bank publication, 2009)18.6 (2016) 18.5* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)17.0 (2021) 15.1 (World Bank publication, 2009)11.4 (2017) 29.0 (2020) 31.2 (2013)40.3 (2017) 7.1 (2015) 26.9 (2019) 24.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)11.7 (2018) 22.1 (2011)6.5 (2014) 3.25 (2022) 15.1 (2019) 2.38 (2020) 18.1 (2019) 11.8 (2022) 13.8 (2013)16.2 (2022) 41.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)36.6 (2022) 32.2 (2021)8.4 (2022) 18.9 (2025) 8.1 (2012) 3.6 (2022) 19.9 (2019) 17.3 (2013)25.6 (2022) 32.2 (2020) 35.6 (2013)OECD 21.3* (2013)16.2 (2022) 14.0* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)7.3 (2021) 20.9 (2022) 16.1 (2022) 10.5 (2022) 8.2 (2022) 9.1 (2019) 23.6 (2019) 16.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)25.2 (2013) 14.7 (2018) 18.4 (2014)11.3 (2022) 12.1* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2009)16.0 (2019) 15.3 (INS, 2015)40.6 (2011) 31.0 (2016, IMF)5.6 (2022) 17.6 (2022) 23.4 (2022) 35.3 (???) 35.3* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)6.3 (2019) 23.3 (2022) 44.3 (2020) 9.9 (2022) 28.0 (2022) 18.2 (2013)23 (2019) 20.9 (2012)15.7 (2022) 17.4 (2013) 10.7 (2019) 11.6 (2013)16.3 (2019) 17.9 (2014)14.8 (2019) 29.3 (2020) 29.9 (2013) 15.3 (2022)18.0 (2014) 33.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)4.6 (2020) 9.6 (2022) 22.9 (2021) 15.0 (2022) 15.9 (2011)4.1 (2017) 26.5 (2013) 26.7 (2012)7.11 (2024) 23.9 (2025) 16.7 (House of Commons Library, 2020)21.5 (2013) 13.4 (2025) 19.2 (Mercatus publication, 2013)17.6 [not included in dataset] (2013)15.7 (2022) 18.2 (2019) 24.3 (2020) 7.6 (2022) 19.3 (2014) 6.7 (2019) 12.1 (2019)
See also List of countries by employment rate List of countries by government spending as percentage of GDP List of countries by labour force Public sector
References