According to the latest World Bank data, the global labor force — the driving engine of production, development, and economic growth — is reshaping the world’s employment order. China, with its 774 million-strong workforce, remains at the top, while India, with 607 million workers, emerges as its closest rival, commanding an enormous share of the world’s economically active population. Together, these two Asian powers account for over one-third of the global labor force — a factor that not only gives them a competitive edge in production and exports, but also grants them decisive influence in shaping global trade and industrial policies.

Following them, the United States ranks third with 174 million workers, Indonesia fourth with 143 million, and Nigeria fifth with 113 million. The presence of Nigeria — a rising African power — among the top five signals a shift in global investment trends towards the southern and western parts of the African continent.

In Latin America, Brazil’s workforce of 107 million represents a major share of the regional labor market, while in the Middle East, Turkey’s 36 million workers stand out. Iran, too, holds a significant position in the region, with a population exceeding 85 million and a labor force of around 28 million. Iran’s young, educated, and tech-oriented workforce, if guided through supportive policies and high productivity frameworks, could become a cornerstone of economic transformation in the Middle East.

Ultimately, these figures reveal that the future of the global economy lies not in financial wealth, but in human capability and workforce productivity — a form of capital that, if managed wisely, has the power to redraw the boundaries of development.