Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
82.9%
Madagascar
Lowest
4.7%
Yemen
Median
53.2%
Years covered
36
1990–2025
Data points
8,410
What the numbers show
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 82.9% in Madagascar; the lowest is 4.7% in Yemen.
The median across all reporting countries is 53.2%, and the mean is 51.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 18.
Over the past decade 105 countries rose and 81 fell. The largest increase was in Saudi Arabia (up 55.2%), and the largest decrease in Afghanistan (down 73.4%).
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madagascar | 82.9% | 2025 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 82.3% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 3 | Nigeria | 80.7% | 2025 | up 6.5% | flat |
| 4 | Tanzania | 80.3% | 2025 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 5 | Burundi | 79.5% | 2025 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 6 | North Korea | 77.7% | 2025 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 7 | Cambodia | 77.4% | 2025 | up 5.4% | flat |
| 8 | Mozambique | 77.1% | 2025 | down 1.3% | falling |
| 9 | Uganda | 75.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 10 | Benin | 75.2% | 2025 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 11 | Bolivia | 72.9% | 2025 | up 27.7% | rising |
| 12 | Eritrea | 72.8% | 2025 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 13 | Niger | 72.8% | 2025 | up 17.9% | flat |
| 14 | Moldova | 72.3% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 15 | Angola | 72.2% | 2025 | down 2.3% | flat |
| 16 | Liberia | 72.0% | 2025 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 17 | Bahamas | 70.7% | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 18 | South Sudan | 70.4% | 2023 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 19 | Iceland | 70.0% | 2025 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 20 | Vietnam | 68.6% | 2025 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 21 | New Zealand | 66.1% | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 22 | Congo | 65.6% | 2025 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 23 | Central African Republic | 65.5% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 24 | Peru | 65.0% | 2025 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 25 | Burkina Faso | 64.1% | 2025 | down 12.9% | falling |
| 26 | Botswana | 63.7% | 2025 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 27 | Singapore | 63.6% | 2025 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 28 | Macao | 63.1% | 2025 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 29 | Kenya | 63.0% | 2025 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 30 | Jamaica | 63.0% | 2025 | up 7.7% | flat |
| 31 | Netherlands | 62.7% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 32 | Kazakhstan | 62.6% | 2025 | down 4.3% | flat |
| 33 | Australia | 62.5% | 2025 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 34 | Israel | 62.3% | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 35 | Switzerland | 62.2% | 2025 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 36 | Zimbabwe | 62.2% | 2025 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 37 | Norway | 62.1% | 2025 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 38 | Saint Lucia | 62.0% | 2025 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 39 | Qatar | 61.9% | 2025 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 40 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 61.8% | 2025 | up 0.0% | falling |
| 41 | East Timor | 61.7% | 2025 | up 0.6% | falling |
| 42 | Laos | 61.6% | 2025 | up 9.5% | flat |
| 43 | Sweden | 61.5% | 2025 | up 1.6% | flat |
| 44 | Cyprus | 61.2% | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 45 | Barbados | 61.0% | 2025 | down 1.1% | flat |
| 46 | Estonia | 61.0% | 2025 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 47 | Denmark | 60.8% | 2025 | up 7.0% | flat |
| 48 | Azerbaijan | 60.8% | 2025 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 49 | Guinea-Bissau | 60.3% | 2025 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 50 | Canada | 60.2% | 2025 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 51 | Ireland | 59.8% | 2025 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 52 | Cote d'Ivoire | 59.5% | 2025 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 53 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 59.2% | 2025 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 54 | China | 59.1% | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 55 | Paraguay | 59.0% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 56 | Thailand | 59.0% | 2025 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 57 | Albania | 58.6% | 2025 | up 24.3% | flat |
| 58 | Ethiopia | 58.5% | 2025 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 59 | Haiti | 58.3% | 2025 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 60 | Malawi | 58.2% | 2025 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 61 | Lithuania | 57.7% | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 62 | Luxembourg | 57.5% | 2025 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 63 | United Kingdom | 57.3% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 64 | Rwanda | 57.3% | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 65 | Uruguay | 57.3% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 66 | South Korea | 56.8% | 2025 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 67 | Belarus | 56.8% | 2025 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 68 | Bhutan | 56.7% | 2025 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 69 | Georgia | 56.7% | 2025 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 70 | Togo | 56.6% | 2025 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 71 | Cameroon | 56.6% | 2025 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 72 | Guam | 56.5% | 2025 | up 0.3% | falling |
| 73 | Finland | 56.5% | 2025 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 74 | Zambia | 56.4% | 2025 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 75 | United States | 56.3% | 2025 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 76 | Japan | 55.9% | 2025 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 77 | Malta | 55.8% | 2025 | up 29.7% | rising |
| 78 | Germany | 55.3% | 2025 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 79 | Ghana | 55.3% | 2025 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 80 | Latvia | 55.2% | 2025 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 81 | Slovakia | 55.1% | 2025 | up 6.2% | flat |
| 82 | Austria | 55.1% | 2025 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 83 | Panama | 54.9% | 2025 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 84 | Namibia | 54.9% | 2025 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 85 | Portugal | 54.6% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 86 | Russia | 54.5% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 87 | Brunei | 54.4% | 2025 | down 5.1% | rising |
| 88 | Hungary | 54.3% | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 89 | Indonesia | 53.7% | 2025 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 90 | Dominican Republic | 53.7% | 2025 | up 11.4% | rising |
| 91 | Czechia | 53.5% | 2025 | up 4.4% | flat |
| 92 | Brazil | 53.4% | 2025 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 93 | Vanuatu | 53.3% | 2025 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 94 | United Arab Emirates | 53.0% | 2025 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 95 | Chile | 52.9% | 2025 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 96 | Mali | 52.8% | 2025 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 97 | Spain | 52.8% | 2025 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 98 | United States Virgin Islands | 52.8% | 2025 | down 5.2% | falling |
| 99 | Serbia | 52.6% | 2025 | up 21.6% | flat |
| 100 | Equatorial Guinea | 52.6% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 101 | Argentina | 52.5% | 2025 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 102 | Ecuador | 52.4% | 2025 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 103 | Slovenia | 52.3% | 2025 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 104 | Hong Kong | 51.8% | 2025 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 105 | Malaysia | 51.6% | 2025 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 106 | Colombia | 51.6% | 2025 | down 6.6% | flat |
| 107 | Poland | 51.6% | 2025 | up 4.2% | flat |
| 108 | Sierra Leone | 51.6% | 2025 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 109 | France | 51.5% | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 110 | Mongolia | 51.5% | 2025 | down 3.7% | flat |
| 111 | Nicaragua | 51.3% | 2025 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 112 | Montenegro | 51.2% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 113 | New Caledonia | 51.1% | 2025 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 114 | Armenia | 51.1% | 2025 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 115 | Papua New Guinea | 50.8% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 116 | Philippines | 50.5% | 2025 | up 3.7% | flat |
| 117 | Cape Verde | 50.5% | 2025 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 118 | Bulgaria | 50.4% | 2025 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 119 | South Africa | 49.9% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 120 | Belgium | 49.8% | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 121 | El Salvador | 49.1% | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 122 | Eswatini | 48.5% | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 123 | Lesotho | 48.1% | 2025 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 124 | Trinidad and Tobago | 47.8% | 2025 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 125 | Ukraine | 47.7% | 2021 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 126 | Comoros | 47.6% | 2025 | up 37.0% | rising |
| 127 | Mauritius | 47.5% | 2025 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 128 | Mexico | 47.5% | 2025 | up 8.0% | rising |
| 129 | Croatia | 47.4% | 2025 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 130 | Guyana | 47.4% | 2025 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 131 | Chad | 47.3% | 2025 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 132 | Kuwait | 47.2% | 2025 | down 4.9% | rising |
| 133 | French Polynesia | 46.6% | 2025 | down 4.8% | flat |
| 134 | Belize | 46.5% | 2025 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 135 | Costa Rica | 46.0% | 2025 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 136 | Gambia | 45.5% | 2025 | up 2.2% | flat |
| 137 | Suriname | 44.9% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 138 | Greece | 44.7% | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 139 | Kyrgyzstan | 44.1% | 2025 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 140 | North Macedonia | 42.7% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 141 | Guinea | 42.6% | 2025 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 142 | Tonga | 42.3% | 2025 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 143 | Bahrain | 42.3% | 2025 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 144 | Romania | 41.8% | 2025 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 145 | Gabon | 41.6% | 2025 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 146 | Uzbekistan | 41.2% | 2025 | up 4.4% | flat |
| 147 | Myanmar | 40.9% | 2025 | down 19.4% | falling |
| 148 | Italy | 40.8% | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 149 | Maldives | 40.7% | 2025 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 150 | Cuba | 40.0% | 2025 | down 9.8% | rising |
| 151 | Honduras | 39.6% | 2025 | down 15.0% | flat |
| 152 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 39.2% | 2025 | up 1.1% | falling |
| 153 | Bangladesh | 38.6% | 2025 | up 15.3% | rising |
| 154 | Fiji | 38.5% | 2025 | down 3.9% | flat |
| 155 | Guatemala | 38.3% | 2025 | down 0.3% | falling |
| 156 | Turkmenistan | 38.2% | 2025 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 157 | Senegal | 38.2% | 2025 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 158 | Turkey | 37.1% | 2025 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 159 | Venezuela | 37.1% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 160 | Puerto Rico | 36.9% | 2025 | up 15.6% | flat |
| 161 | Saudi Arabia | 33.6% | 2025 | up 55.2% | rising |
| 162 | Libya | 33.0% | 2025 | down 3.3% | rising |
| 163 | India | 32.4% | 2025 | up 22.0% | falling |
| 164 | Sri Lanka | 31.0% | 2025 | down 12.3% | falling |
| 165 | Samoa | 30.7% | 2025 | down 25.8% | falling |
| 166 | Oman | 30.0% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 167 | Nepal | 27.5% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 168 | Tunisia | 26.5% | 2025 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 169 | Mauritania | 26.2% | 2025 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 170 | Pakistan | 24.0% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 171 | Sao Tome and Principe | 22.7% | 2025 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 172 | Lebanon | 22.2% | 2023 | down 10.1% | rising |
| 173 | Tajikistan | 21.9% | 2025 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 174 | Somalia | 20.7% | 2025 | down 1.2% | flat |
| 175 | Morocco | 19.7% | 2025 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 176 | Djibouti | 19.4% | 2025 | up 8.9% | rising |
| 177 | Palestine | 18.9% | 2022 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 178 | Egypt | 18.5% | 2025 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 179 | Jordan | 16.0% | 2025 | up 17.9% | rising |
| 180 | Sudan | 14.5% | 2022 | down 46.5% | falling |
| 181 | Algeria | 14.1% | 2025 | down 7.3% | rising |
| 182 | Iran | 14.0% | 2025 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 183 | Syria | 12.7% | 2025 | down 0.0% | falling |
| 184 | Iraq | 10.9% | 2025 | down 22.9% | rising |
| 185 | Afghanistan | 5.1% | 2025 | down 73.4% | falling |
| 186 | Yemen | 4.7% | 2025 | down 10.4% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Africa Western and Central 67.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 65.2%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 65.2%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 65.2%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 63.7%
- Pre-demographic dividend 63.0%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 59.5%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 58.3%
- East Asia & Pacific 58.1%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 58.0%
- Late-demographic dividend 57.1%
- North America 56.8%
About this data
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.