Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
87.0%
Qatar
Lowest
23.3%
Sao Tome and Principe
Median
61.6%
Years covered
36
1990–2025
Data points
8,410
What the numbers show
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 87.0% in Qatar; the lowest is 23.3% in Sao Tome and Principe.
The median across all reporting countries is 61.6%, and the mean is 60.5%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 4.
Over the past decade 78 countries rose and 108 fell. The largest increase was in Comoros (up 21.0%), and the largest decrease in Samoa (down 22.3%).
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 87.0% | 2025 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 2 | Madagascar | 85.5% | 2025 | down 0.6% | flat |
| 3 | Solomon Islands | 84.3% | 2025 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 4 | Tanzania | 83.7% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 5 | Nigeria | 82.5% | 2025 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 6 | Cambodia | 82.4% | 2025 | up 3.5% | flat |
| 7 | North Korea | 82.2% | 2025 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 8 | Uganda | 80.0% | 2025 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 9 | Niger | 79.7% | 2025 | up 8.7% | flat |
| 10 | Mozambique | 78.7% | 2025 | down 0.4% | falling |
| 11 | Bolivia | 78.6% | 2025 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 12 | United Arab Emirates | 78.6% | 2025 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 13 | Eritrea | 78.3% | 2025 | down 1.1% | flat |
| 14 | Burundi | 78.3% | 2025 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 15 | Liberia | 76.6% | 2025 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 16 | Benin | 76.4% | 2025 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 17 | Iceland | 74.9% | 2025 | down 2.3% | flat |
| 18 | Angola | 74.8% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 19 | Bahamas | 73.8% | 2025 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 20 | South Sudan | 73.4% | 2023 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 21 | Central African Republic | 73.4% | 2025 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 22 | Kuwait | 73.4% | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 23 | Peru | 72.9% | 2025 | down 4.0% | rising |
| 24 | Vietnam | 72.8% | 2025 | down 6.0% | flat |
| 25 | Moldova | 72.3% | 2025 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 26 | Bahrain | 70.4% | 2025 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 27 | New Zealand | 70.4% | 2025 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 28 | Paraguay | 70.2% | 2025 | up 3.4% | flat |
| 29 | Burkina Faso | 70.0% | 2025 | down 11.0% | falling |
| 30 | Singapore | 69.7% | 2025 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 31 | Jamaica | 69.6% | 2025 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 32 | Botswana | 68.8% | 2025 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 33 | Ethiopia | 68.5% | 2025 | down 12.2% | falling |
| 34 | Oman | 68.4% | 2025 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 35 | Saint Lucia | 68.3% | 2025 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 36 | Indonesia | 68.0% | 2025 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 37 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 67.9% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 38 | Macao | 67.8% | 2025 | down 4.2% | rising |
| 39 | Congo | 67.8% | 2025 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 40 | Kazakhstan | 67.8% | 2025 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 41 | Zimbabwe | 67.7% | 2025 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 42 | Kenya | 67.4% | 2025 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 43 | Netherlands | 67.2% | 2025 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 44 | Cote d'Ivoire | 67.1% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 45 | Mali | 67.0% | 2025 | down 5.0% | flat |
| 46 | East Timor | 67.0% | 2025 | up 0.1% | falling |
| 47 | Cyprus | 67.0% | 2025 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 48 | Switzerland | 66.7% | 2025 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 49 | Thailand | 66.7% | 2025 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 50 | Australia | 66.5% | 2025 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 51 | Panama | 66.3% | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 52 | Malaysia | 66.1% | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 53 | Laos | 66.1% | 2025 | up 10.1% | flat |
| 54 | Nicaragua | 66.1% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 55 | Norway | 65.6% | 2025 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 56 | Israel | 65.5% | 2025 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 57 | Cameroon | 65.2% | 2025 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 58 | Estonia | 65.1% | 2025 | up 5.4% | flat |
| 59 | Saudi Arabia | 65.1% | 2025 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 60 | Uruguay | 65.0% | 2025 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 61 | Denmark | 64.9% | 2025 | up 5.7% | falling |
| 62 | Ireland | 64.8% | 2025 | up 5.0% | flat |
| 63 | Dominican Republic | 64.8% | 2025 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 64 | Bhutan | 64.8% | 2025 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 65 | Guinea-Bissau | 64.8% | 2025 | up 2.6% | flat |
| 66 | Barbados | 64.7% | 2025 | down 1.1% | falling |
| 67 | Sweden | 64.6% | 2025 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 68 | China | 64.6% | 2025 | down 6.9% | falling |
| 69 | Canada | 64.5% | 2025 | down 2.1% | flat |
| 70 | Ecuador | 64.5% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 71 | South Korea | 64.4% | 2025 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 72 | Georgia | 64.3% | 2025 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 73 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 64.3% | 2025 | down 1.5% | falling |
| 74 | Albania | 64.3% | 2025 | up 15.8% | falling |
| 75 | Brunei | 64.2% | 2025 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 76 | Malta | 64.0% | 2025 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 77 | Haiti | 63.9% | 2025 | down 2.9% | flat |
| 78 | Rwanda | 63.7% | 2025 | up 5.0% | flat |
| 79 | Maldives | 63.5% | 2025 | up 13.0% | rising |
| 80 | Japan | 63.4% | 2025 | up 6.6% | flat |
| 81 | Colombia | 63.4% | 2025 | down 5.4% | falling |
| 82 | Azerbaijan | 63.3% | 2025 | down 0.4% | falling |
| 83 | Brazil | 63.1% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 84 | Lithuania | 62.9% | 2025 | up 6.4% | flat |
| 85 | Belarus | 62.7% | 2025 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 86 | Malawi | 62.6% | 2025 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 87 | Chile | 62.3% | 2025 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 88 | Guam | 62.3% | 2025 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 89 | El Salvador | 62.1% | 2025 | up 5.8% | flat |
| 90 | Zambia | 61.9% | 2025 | up 5.4% | flat |
| 91 | Argentina | 61.9% | 2025 | up 4.5% | flat |
| 92 | United States | 61.7% | 2025 | down 0.9% | falling |
| 93 | Mexico | 61.6% | 2025 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 94 | Luxembourg | 61.5% | 2025 | up 2.7% | rising |
| 95 | United Kingdom | 61.4% | 2025 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 96 | Philippines | 61.4% | 2025 | down 0.1% | flat |
| 97 | Russia | 61.1% | 2025 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 98 | Hungary | 60.6% | 2025 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 99 | Germany | 60.6% | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 100 | Latvia | 60.5% | 2025 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 101 | Equatorial Guinea | 60.5% | 2025 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 102 | Slovakia | 60.4% | 2025 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 103 | Czechia | 60.3% | 2025 | up 1.6% | flat |
| 104 | Austria | 60.1% | 2025 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 105 | Mongolia | 59.7% | 2025 | up 0.0% | rising |
| 106 | Finland | 59.7% | 2025 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 107 | Guatemala | 59.6% | 2025 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 108 | Chad | 59.4% | 2025 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 109 | Armenia | 59.4% | 2025 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 110 | Serbia | 59.1% | 2025 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 111 | Belize | 59.1% | 2025 | down 7.5% | rising |
| 112 | Namibia | 58.8% | 2025 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 113 | Bangladesh | 58.8% | 2025 | up 4.1% | flat |
| 114 | Mauritius | 58.5% | 2025 | down 3.0% | flat |
| 115 | Ghana | 58.5% | 2025 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 116 | Poland | 58.3% | 2025 | up 2.2% | flat |
| 117 | Portugal | 58.2% | 2025 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 118 | Vanuatu | 58.1% | 2025 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 119 | Montenegro | 58.0% | 2025 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 120 | Togo | 57.8% | 2025 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 121 | Trinidad and Tobago | 57.8% | 2025 | down 8.4% | flat |
| 122 | Costa Rica | 57.7% | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 123 | Slovenia | 57.6% | 2025 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 124 | Uzbekistan | 57.5% | 2025 | up 2.2% | flat |
| 125 | Spain | 57.4% | 2025 | down 2.1% | rising |
| 126 | Kyrgyzstan | 57.4% | 2025 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 127 | Fiji | 57.2% | 2025 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 128 | Lesotho | 57.1% | 2025 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 129 | Cape Verde | 57.0% | 2025 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 130 | Honduras | 56.6% | 2025 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 131 | New Caledonia | 56.4% | 2025 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 132 | Hong Kong | 56.4% | 2025 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 133 | Bulgaria | 56.1% | 2025 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 134 | Comoros | 55.8% | 2025 | up 21.0% | rising |
| 135 | India | 55.7% | 2025 | up 5.0% | falling |
| 136 | South Africa | 55.6% | 2025 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 137 | France | 55.3% | 2025 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 138 | Myanmar | 55.1% | 2025 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 139 | Guyana | 55.0% | 2025 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 140 | Ukraine | 54.6% | 2021 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 141 | Turkey | 54.4% | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 142 | United States Virgin Islands | 54.4% | 2025 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 143 | Belgium | 54.3% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 144 | Suriname | 53.8% | 2025 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 145 | Sierra Leone | 53.4% | 2025 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 146 | Guinea | 52.6% | 2025 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 147 | French Polynesia | 52.4% | 2025 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 148 | Pakistan | 52.3% | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 149 | Cuba | 52.2% | 2025 | down 5.9% | flat |
| 150 | Croatia | 52.1% | 2025 | down 0.8% | falling |
| 151 | Papua New Guinea | 52.1% | 2025 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 152 | Senegal | 52.0% | 2025 | up 14.4% | flat |
| 153 | Greece | 52.0% | 2025 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 154 | North Macedonia | 51.9% | 2025 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 155 | Venezuela | 51.9% | 2025 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 156 | Romania | 51.3% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 157 | Eswatini | 51.2% | 2025 | down 0.1% | falling |
| 158 | Gabon | 51.1% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 159 | Tonga | 49.8% | 2025 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 160 | Italy | 49.3% | 2025 | up 1.4% | flat |
| 161 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 49.0% | 2025 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 162 | Sri Lanka | 48.5% | 2025 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 163 | Libya | 48.0% | 2025 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 164 | Gambia | 47.5% | 2025 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 165 | Tunisia | 45.2% | 2025 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 166 | Palestine | 45.0% | 2022 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 167 | Egypt | 44.6% | 2025 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 168 | Morocco | 43.9% | 2025 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 169 | Lebanon | 43.4% | 2023 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 170 | Puerto Rico | 42.8% | 2025 | up 12.5% | falling |
| 171 | Samoa | 42.5% | 2025 | down 22.3% | falling |
| 172 | Turkmenistan | 42.0% | 2025 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 173 | Iraq | 41.5% | 2025 | down 3.5% | flat |
| 174 | Iran | 41.0% | 2025 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 175 | Algeria | 40.8% | 2025 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 176 | Mauritania | 40.8% | 2025 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 177 | Jordan | 40.1% | 2025 | up 6.4% | flat |
| 178 | Nepal | 39.2% | 2025 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 179 | Tajikistan | 38.3% | 2025 | down 4.6% | falling |
| 180 | Sudan | 37.5% | 2022 | down 21.6% | falling |
| 181 | Afghanistan | 37.5% | 2025 | down 20.6% | falling |
| 182 | Syria | 36.9% | 2025 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 183 | Somalia | 33.8% | 2025 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 184 | Yemen | 33.1% | 2025 | up 3.2% | falling |
| 185 | Djibouti | 31.7% | 2025 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 186 | Sao Tome and Principe | 23.3% | 2025 | down 2.7% | 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 72.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 70.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 70.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 70.3%
- Pre-demographic dividend 69.7%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 68.9%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 67.0%
- IDA blend 65.6%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 65.4%
- East Asia & Pacific 65.2%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 65.1%
- Pacific island small states 64.6%
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.