ILO · Female Labour Force Participation Rate
Female labour force participation by country
What share of women are working or looking for work?
Madagascar placed first of the 182 countries compared in 2025, at 82.913%, and Yemen last, at 4.663%. In the middle country the figure was 53.363%. Among the 182 countries measured in every edition since 1990, the middle one moved from 47.975% to 53.363%.
Share
Female labour force participation · 2025
Context statistic
Highest of 182Madagascar
82.913%012025 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the highest end of 182 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: Bernard Gagnon derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2Photo: Nash Belarus · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Photo: Slashme · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Lowest in 2025
- 182
Yemen4.663% - 181
Afghanistan5.086% - 180
Iraq10.937%
Positions out of 182. Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.
Highest on each continent
- AfricaMadagascar82.913%
- Americas
Bolivia72.868% - Asia
North Korea77.713% - Europe
Moldova72.330% - Oceania
Solomon Islands82.337% - Every region
02Every measured country
Female labour force participation on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value — the better end.
- 4.663–40.941%
- 41.178–51.458%
- 51.480–56.426%
- 56.493–61.995%
- 62.086–82.913%
- No reading in 2025 (5 measured in an earlier edition)
- Africa
56.426%
the middle country, of 51 measured · 55 members
Madagascar82.913%
Algeria14.142%Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Europe
55.059%
the middle country, of 39 measured · 49 members
Moldova72.330%
Bosnia and Herzegovina39.241%Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Americas
52.768%
the middle country, of 33 measured · 48 members
Bolivia72.868%
Puerto Rico36.853%Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Asia
51.258%
the middle country, of 48 measured · 52 members
North Korea77.713%Yemen4.663%Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Oceania
51.067%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 21 members
Solomon Islands82.337%
Samoa30.739%Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Eastern Africa
60.306%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 19 members
Madagascar82.913%
Djibouti19.365%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Northern Europe
59.755%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 13 members
Iceland70.012%Channel Islands49.249%
Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- South-eastern Asia
58.963%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 11 members
Cambodia77.351%
Myanmar40.941%Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Caribbean
58.337%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 24 members
Bahamas70.728%Puerto Rico36.853%Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Eastern Asia
56.782%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
North Korea77.713%
Mongolia51.458%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Middle Africa
56.595%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Angola72.224%
São Tomé and Príncipe22.749%Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Western Africa
55.951%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Nigeria80.700%
Mauritania26.180%Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Western Europe
55.288%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Netherlands62.710%
Belgium49.780%Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Eastern Europe
54.312%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 10 members
Moldova72.330%
Romania41.807%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- South America
52.678%
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Bolivia72.868%
Venezuela37.098%Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Southern Europe
51.772%
the middle country, of 12 measured · 17 members
Albania58.567%Bosnia and Herzegovina39.241%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Melanesia
51.067%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Solomon Islands82.337%
Fiji38.451%Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Southern Africa
49.881%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Botswana63.708%
Lesotho48.091%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Central America
46.961%
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Panama54.936%
Guatemala38.324%Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Western Asia
44.747%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 19 members
Israel62.278%Yemen4.663%Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- Central Asia
41.178%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Kazakhstan62.649%
Tajikistan21.897%Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Southern Asia
30.992%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Bhutan56.700%Afghanistan5.086%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Northern Africa
19.696%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 6 members
Libya32.995%Algeria14.142%Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand66.077%
Australia62.513%Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Micronesia
1 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Guam.
Guam56.520%Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada60.204%
United States56.343%Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
- Polynesia
3 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga.
French Polynesia46.628%Samoa30.739%Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
03The whole field at once
The spread
182 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 53.363%; a quarter are above 60.784%, and a quarter below 44.728%. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 187 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. International Labour Organization (ILO) ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. It counts paid or job-seeking work only. Unpaid domestic and care work — which is most of the work women do in much of the world — is invisible to it, so a low figure means few women in the MEASURED labour market, not few women working.
Showing 25 of 187 countries
Values for 2025. The change column compares 2025 with 2024 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051990–2025 · 36 reference years
Over time
Each point is one reference year from 1990.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 182 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 182 | 53.363% | 44.728% – 60.784% | 53.363% |
| 2024 | 182 | 53.399% | 44.414% – 61.169% | 53.399% |
| 2023 | 184 | 53.133% | 43.931% – 61.070% | 53.133% |
| 2022 | 186 | 53.033% | 43.574% – 60.013% | 53.057% |
| 2021 | 187 | 52.482% | 42.546% – 59.615% | 52.552% |
| 2020 | 187 | 51.463% | 42.483% – 59.201% | 52.024% |
| 2019 | 187 | 53.240% | 43.777% – 60.155% | 53.318% |
| 2018 | 187 | 53.131% | 44.198% – 60.108% | 53.234% |
| 2017 | 187 | 52.644% | 44.163% – 59.232% | 52.880% |
| 2016 | 187 | 52.511% | 44.428% – 59.862% | 52.857% |
| 2015 | 187 | 52.391% | 43.978% – 60.249% | 52.972% |
| 2014 | 187 | 52.531% | 43.584% – 60.142% | 52.671% |
| 2013 | 187 | 52.312% | 43.246% – 59.274% | 52.829% |
| 2012 | 187 | 52.458% | 42.972% – 59.790% | 52.880% |
| 2011 | 187 | 52.325% | 42.596% – 59.648% | 52.390% |
| 2010 | 187 | 52.125% | 42.554% – 60.138% | 52.256% |
| 2009 | 187 | 52.019% | 42.146% – 60.149% | 52.171% |
| 2008 | 187 | 51.712% | 41.768% – 60.143% | 51.855% |
| 2007 | 187 | 51.955% | 41.723% – 59.955% | 52.057% |
| 2006 | 187 | 51.541% | 41.519% – 59.755% | 51.555% |
| 2005 | 187 | 51.137% | 41.227% – 59.388% | 51.143% |
| 2004 | 187 | 51.259% | 40.920% – 59.120% | 51.266% |
| 2003 | 187 | 50.559% | 41.239% – 59.279% | 50.695% |
| 2002 | 187 | 50.663% | 40.985% – 59.219% | 50.808% |
| 2001 | 187 | 50.088% | 39.908% – 58.904% | 50.198% |
| 2000 | 187 | 49.859% | 39.769% – 58.966% | 50.111% |
| 1999 | 187 | 49.840% | 39.658% – 58.902% | 50.134% |
| 1998 | 187 | 50.064% | 39.380% – 59.297% | 50.453% |
| 1997 | 187 | 49.826% | 38.860% – 58.865% | 49.828% |
| 1996 | 187 | 49.536% | 38.069% – 58.940% | 49.698% |
| 1995 | 187 | 48.975% | 38.052% – 59.159% | 49.028% |
| 1994 | 187 | 48.662% | 38.234% – 58.555% | 48.775% |
| 1993 | 187 | 48.497% | 38.043% – 59.098% | 48.517% |
| 1992 | 187 | 47.962% | 38.309% – 59.274% | 48.097% |
| 1991 | 187 | 47.948% | 37.803% – 59.430% | 48.090% |
| 1990 | 187 | 47.900% | 36.403% – 59.567% | 47.975% |
062024 → 2025
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → after
Belize43.833% → 46.472% · 138th → 133rd+2.639
Comoros47.126% → 47.649% · 131st → 125th+0.523
United Arab Emirates52.519% → 53.027% · 100th → 93rd+0.508- Bolivia72.389% → 72.868% · 13th → 11th+0.479
Singapore63.136% → 63.569% · 28th → 26th+0.433
Declined most
before → after- Kazakhstan65.291% → 62.649% · 23rd → 31st−2.642
Russia55.214% → 54.546% · 82nd → 85th−0.668- Mongolia52.100% → 51.458% · 104th → 109th−0.642
Azerbaijan61.350% → 60.759% · 45th → 47th−0.591
New Caledonia51.608% → 51.067% · 110th → 112th−0.541
182 countries were measured in both 2024 and 2025.
07Across every edition
Female labour force participation in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
90.451%
Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%)
Lowest reading on record
4.663%
Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%)
Biggest improvement between editions
+16.404
65.505% → 81.909%
Biggest decline between editions
−15.618
57.096% → 41.478%
Most improved since first measured
+28.972
26.827% → 55.799%
At the top most often
16 of 36
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About female labour force participation
The female labour force participation rate is the share of women aged 15 and over who are working or looking for work. The range runs from under 5% to over 90% — the widest spread of any labour measure here, and one of the sharpest dividing lines between economies.
What the number is: Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%).
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Work & Labour and Gender & Equality, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Work & LabourGender & EqualityWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where female labour force participation is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Labour Force Participation RateILO · 182 countries in commonρ 0.87
- Employment-to-Population RatioKeyILO · 182 countries in commonρ 0.81
- Minimum Proficiency in Mathematics, End of Lower SecondaryUIS · 95 countries in commonρ 0.41
Moves against
Where female labour force participation is higher, these tend to be lower.
No statistic lines up this closely.
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 378 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
The countries at either end
11Questions
Female labour force participation: questions and answers
Which country has the highest female labour force participation?
Madagascar, at 82.913%, among the 182 countries compared in 2025.
Which country has the lowest female labour force participation?
Yemen, at 4.663%, among the 182 countries compared in 2025.
How many countries does the Female Labour Force Participation Rate cover?
182 in 2025, and 187 at least once across all editions. The number measured varies from 182 to 187 between editions.
What is the world average female labour force participation?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 182 compared in 2025, the figure was 53.363%.
Is this International Labour Organization (ILO)’s own ranking?
No. International Labour Organization (ILO) publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the Female Labour Force Participation Rate published?
This site holds 36 reference years, 1990–2025, all recalculated in International Labour Organization (ILO)’s 2026 report on one method — not 36 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From International Labour Organization (ILO), under CC BY 4.0. From the ILO’s modelled estimates via the World Bank’s indicator API (SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS). Modelled rather than measured, so one definition applies to every country. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Female Labour Force Participation Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO)
From the ILO’s modelled estimates via the World Bank’s indicator API (SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS). Modelled rather than measured, so one definition applies to every country.
Newest edition
Report year 2025Data year 2025
Cite the source as: International Labour Organization. ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST). Geneva: ILOSTAT.
Licence: CC BY 4.0, checked 2026-09-07.
How this page reads the numbers
- International Labour Organization (ILO) ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Madagascar — Bernard Gagnon derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Solomon Islands — Nash Belarus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nigeria — Slashme, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Female labour force participation by country: Female Labour Force Participation Rate, data from International Labour Organization (ILO). https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/female-labour-participation