Labor Force Participation by Country 2025
The share of people aged 15 and over who are in the labor force, working or looking for work, with the rates for women and for men.
Qatar has the highest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over): 87.0% in 2025. Next are Madagascar (85.5%), the Solomon Islands (84.3%), Tanzania (83.7%) and Nigeria (82.5%). Sao Tome and Principe has the lowest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over): 23.3% in 2025. The median across the 187 countries is 61.5%, counting each country once, so it is not a world average.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators. 187 of 217 countries and territories have a figure. 182 of 187 countries show 2025; the other 5 show their latest available year (2021, 2022 or 2023).
- Highest
- 87.0%
- Qatar, 2025
- Lowest
- 23.3%
- Sao Tome and Principe, 2025
- Median
- 61.5%
- Counting each country once, so it is not a world average
- Coverage
- 187 of 217
- Countries and territories with a figure; mostly 2025 data
| # | Country | Participation rate (%) | Year | Women (%) | Men (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 87.0% | 2025 | 61.9% | 95.6% |
| 2 | Madagascar | 85.5% | 2025 | 82.9% | 88.1% |
| 3 | Solomon Islands | 84.3% | 2025 | 82.3% | 86.2% |
| 4 | Tanzania | 83.7% | 2025 | 80.3% | 87.3% |
| 5 | Nigeria | 82.5% | 2025 | 80.7% | 84.3% |
| 6 | Cambodia | 82.4% | 2025 | 77.4% | 87.8% |
| 7 | North Korea | 82.2% | 2025 | 77.7% | 86.8% |
| 8 | Uganda | 80.0% | 2025 | 75.6% | 84.6% |
| 9 | Niger | 79.7% | 2025 | 72.8% | 86.5% |
| 10 | Mozambique | 78.7% | 2025 | 77.1% | 80.5% |
| 11 | Bolivia | 78.6% | 2025 | 72.9% | 84.4% |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | 78.6% | 2025 | 53.0% | 91.5% |
| 13 | Eritrea | 78.3% | 2025 | 72.8% | 84.1% |
| 13 | Burundi | 78.3% | 2025 | 79.5% | 77.0% |
| 15 | Liberia | 76.6% | 2025 | 72.0% | 81.2% |
| 16 | Benin | 76.4% | 2025 | 75.2% | 77.6% |
| 17 | Iceland | 74.9% | 2025 | 70.0% | 79.6% |
| 18 | Angola | 74.8% | 2025 | 72.2% | 77.5% |
| 19 | Bahamas | 73.8% | 2025 | 70.7% | 77.2% |
| 20 | South Sudan | 73.4% | 2023 | 70.4% | 76.6% |
| 20 | Central African Republic | 73.4% | 2025 | 65.5% | 82.8% |
| 20 | Kuwait | 73.4% | 2025 | 47.2% | 88.6% |
| 23 | Peru | 72.9% | 2025 | 65.0% | 80.9% |
| 24 | Vietnam | 72.8% | 2025 | 68.6% | 77.3% |
| 25 | Moldova | 72.3% | 2025 | 72.3% | 72.2% |
| 26 | Bahrain | 70.4% | 2025 | 42.3% | 85.9% |
| 26 | New Zealand | 70.4% | 2025 | 66.1% | 74.7% |
| 28 | Paraguay | 70.2% | 2025 | 59.0% | 81.6% |
| 29 | Burkina Faso | 70.0% | 2025 | 64.1% | 76.1% |
| 30 | Singapore | 69.7% | 2025 | 63.6% | 75.4% |
| 31 | Jamaica | 69.6% | 2025 | 63.0% | 76.3% |
| 32 | Botswana | 68.8% | 2025 | 63.7% | 74.0% |
| 33 | Ethiopia | 68.5% | 2025 | 58.5% | 78.6% |
| 34 | Oman | 68.4% | 2025 | 30.0% | 88.1% |
| 35 | St. Lucia | 68.3% | 2025 | 62.0% | 74.8% |
| 36 | Indonesia | 68.0% | 2025 | 53.7% | 82.3% |
| 37 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 67.9% | 2025 | 59.2% | 76.3% |
| 38 | Macao | 67.8% | 2025 | 63.1% | 73.6% |
| 38 | Republic of the Congo | 67.8% | 2025 | 65.6% | 70.1% |
| 38 | Kazakhstan | 67.8% | 2025 | 62.6% | 73.4% |
| 41 | Zimbabwe | 67.7% | 2025 | 62.2% | 74.3% |
| 42 | Kenya | 67.4% | 2025 | 63.0% | 71.8% |
| 43 | Netherlands | 67.2% | 2025 | 62.7% | 71.9% |
| 44 | Côte d'Ivoire | 67.1% | 2025 | 59.5% | 74.4% |
| 45 | Mali | 67.0% | 2025 | 52.8% | 81.0% |
| 45 | Timor-Leste | 67.0% | 2025 | 61.7% | 72.2% |
| 45 | Cyprus | 67.0% | 2025 | 61.2% | 72.7% |
| 48 | Switzerland | 66.7% | 2025 | 62.2% | 71.4% |
| 48 | Thailand | 66.7% | 2025 | 59.0% | 75.0% |
| 50 | Australia | 66.5% | 2025 | 62.5% | 70.7% |
| 51 | Panama | 66.3% | 2025 | 54.9% | 77.9% |
| 52 | Malaysia | 66.1% | 2025 | 51.6% | 79.2% |
| 52 | Laos | 66.1% | 2025 | 61.6% | 70.6% |
| 52 | Nicaragua | 66.1% | 2025 | 51.3% | 81.8% |
| 55 | Norway | 65.6% | 2025 | 62.1% | 69.1% |
| 56 | Israel | 65.5% | 2025 | 62.3% | 68.8% |
| 57 | Cameroon | 65.2% | 2025 | 56.6% | 73.9% |
| 58 | Estonia | 65.1% | 2025 | 61.0% | 69.8% |
| 58 | Saudi Arabia | 65.1% | 2025 | 33.6% | 83.3% |
| 60 | Uruguay | 65.0% | 2025 | 57.3% | 73.4% |
| 61 | Denmark | 64.9% | 2025 | 60.8% | 69.2% |
| 62 | Ireland | 64.8% | 2025 | 59.8% | 70.1% |
| 62 | Dominican Republic | 64.8% | 2025 | 53.7% | 76.4% |
| 62 | Bhutan | 64.8% | 2025 | 56.7% | 71.8% |
| 62 | Guinea-Bissau | 64.8% | 2025 | 60.3% | 69.6% |
| 66 | Barbados | 64.7% | 2025 | 61.0% | 68.7% |
| 67 | Sweden | 64.6% | 2025 | 61.5% | 67.6% |
| 67 | China | 64.6% | 2025 | 59.1% | 69.9% |
| 69 | Canada | 64.5% | 2025 | 60.2% | 68.9% |
| 69 | Ecuador | 64.5% | 2025 | 52.4% | 76.9% |
| 71 | South Korea | 64.4% | 2025 | 56.8% | 72.0% |
| 72 | Georgia | 64.3% | 2025 | 56.7% | 73.5% |
| 72 | DR Congo | 64.3% | 2025 | 61.8% | 66.8% |
| 72 | Albania | 64.3% | 2025 | 58.6% | 70.2% |
| 75 | Brunei | 64.2% | 2025 | 54.4% | 72.8% |
| 76 | Malta | 64.0% | 2025 | 55.8% | 71.5% |
| 77 | Haiti | 63.9% | 2025 | 58.3% | 69.7% |
| 78 | Rwanda | 63.7% | 2025 | 57.3% | 70.6% |
| 79 | Maldives | 63.5% | 2025 | 40.7% | 76.4% |
| 80 | Japan | 63.4% | 2025 | 55.9% | 71.5% |
| 80 | Colombia | 63.4% | 2025 | 51.6% | 75.7% |
| 82 | Azerbaijan | 63.3% | 2025 | 60.8% | 66.0% |
| 83 | Brazil | 63.1% | 2025 | 53.4% | 73.4% |
| 84 | Lithuania | 62.9% | 2025 | 57.7% | 69.0% |
| 85 | Belarus | 62.7% | 2025 | 56.8% | 69.9% |
| 86 | Malawi | 62.6% | 2025 | 58.2% | 67.3% |
| 87 | Chile | 62.3% | 2025 | 52.9% | 71.9% |
| 87 | Guam | 62.3% | 2025 | 56.5% | 68.0% |
| 89 | El Salvador | 62.1% | 2025 | 49.1% | 77.3% |
| 90 | Zambia | 61.9% | 2025 | 56.4% | 67.6% |
| 90 | Argentina | 61.9% | 2025 | 52.5% | 71.7% |
| 92 | United States | 61.7% | 2025 | 56.3% | 67.1% |
| 93 | Mexico | 61.6% | 2025 | 47.5% | 77.1% |
| 94 | Luxembourg | 61.5% | 2025 | 57.5% | 65.5% |
| 95 | United Kingdom | 61.4% | 2025 | 57.3% | 65.6% |
| 95 | Philippines | 61.4% | 2025 | 50.5% | 72.5% |
| 97 | Russia | 61.1% | 2025 | 54.5% | 69.0% |
| 98 | Hungary | 60.6% | 2025 | 54.3% | 67.5% |
| 98 | Germany | 60.6% | 2025 | 55.3% | 66.1% |
| 100 | Latvia | 60.5% | 2025 | 55.2% | 66.8% |
| 100 | Equatorial Guinea | 60.5% | 2025 | 52.6% | 67.2% |
| 102 | Slovakia | 60.4% | 2025 | 55.1% | 66.1% |
| 103 | Czechia | 60.3% | 2025 | 53.5% | 67.5% |
| 104 | Austria | 60.1% | 2025 | 55.1% | 65.4% |
| 105 | Mongolia | 59.7% | 2025 | 51.5% | 68.2% |
| 105 | Finland | 59.7% | 2025 | 56.5% | 63.0% |
| 107 | Guatemala | 59.6% | 2025 | 38.3% | 81.7% |
| 108 | Chad | 59.4% | 2025 | 47.3% | 71.7% |
| 108 | Armenia | 59.4% | 2025 | 51.1% | 69.5% |
| 110 | Serbia | 59.1% | 2025 | 52.6% | 66.5% |
| 110 | Belize | 59.1% | 2025 | 46.5% | 71.6% |
| 112 | Namibia | 58.8% | 2025 | 54.9% | 63.0% |
| 112 | Bangladesh | 58.8% | 2025 | 38.6% | 80.4% |
| 114 | Mauritius | 58.5% | 2025 | 47.5% | 69.7% |
| 114 | Ghana | 58.5% | 2025 | 55.3% | 61.8% |
| 116 | Poland | 58.3% | 2025 | 51.6% | 65.6% |
| 117 | Portugal | 58.2% | 2025 | 54.6% | 62.1% |
| 118 | Vanuatu | 58.1% | 2025 | 53.3% | 62.9% |
| 119 | Montenegro | 58.0% | 2025 | 51.2% | 65.4% |
| 120 | Togo | 57.8% | 2025 | 56.6% | 59.0% |
| 120 | Trinidad and Tobago | 57.8% | 2025 | 47.8% | 68.1% |
| 122 | Costa Rica | 57.7% | 2025 | 46.0% | 69.8% |
| 123 | Slovenia | 57.6% | 2025 | 52.3% | 62.8% |
| 124 | Uzbekistan | 57.5% | 2025 | 41.2% | 73.9% |
| 125 | Spain | 57.4% | 2025 | 52.8% | 62.2% |
| 125 | Kyrgyzstan | 57.4% | 2025 | 44.1% | 71.4% |
| 127 | Fiji | 57.2% | 2025 | 38.5% | 76.5% |
| 128 | Lesotho | 57.1% | 2025 | 48.1% | 66.9% |
| 129 | Cabo Verde | 57.0% | 2025 | 50.5% | 63.4% |
| 130 | Honduras | 56.6% | 2025 | 39.6% | 73.5% |
| 131 | New Caledonia | 56.4% | 2025 | 51.1% | 62.0% |
| 131 | Channel Islands | 56.4% | 2025 | 49.2% | 63.7% |
| 131 | Hong Kong | 56.4% | 2025 | 51.8% | 62.1% |
| 134 | Bulgaria | 56.1% | 2025 | 50.4% | 62.4% |
| 135 | Comoros | 55.8% | 2025 | 47.6% | 63.9% |
| 136 | India | 55.7% | 2025 | 32.4% | 77.6% |
| 137 | South Africa | 55.6% | 2025 | 49.9% | 61.7% |
| 138 | France | 55.3% | 2025 | 51.5% | 59.5% |
| 139 | Myanmar | 55.1% | 2025 | 40.9% | 69.7% |
| 140 | Guyana | 55.0% | 2025 | 47.4% | 63.3% |
| 141 | Ukraine | 54.6% | 2021 | 47.7% | 62.8% |
| 142 | Türkiye | 54.4% | 2025 | 37.1% | 71.9% |
| 142 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 54.4% | 2025 | 52.8% | 56.2% |
| 144 | Belgium | 54.3% | 2025 | 49.8% | 59.0% |
| 145 | Suriname | 53.8% | 2025 | 44.9% | 62.9% |
| 146 | Sierra Leone | 53.4% | 2025 | 51.6% | 55.2% |
| 147 | Guinea | 52.6% | 2025 | 42.6% | 63.1% |
| 148 | French Polynesia | 52.4% | 2025 | 46.6% | 58.0% |
| 149 | Pakistan | 52.3% | 2025 | 24.0% | 80.1% |
| 150 | Cuba | 52.2% | 2025 | 40.0% | 65.1% |
| 151 | Croatia | 52.1% | 2025 | 47.4% | 57.4% |
| 151 | Papua New Guinea | 52.1% | 2025 | 50.8% | 53.3% |
| 153 | Senegal | 52.0% | 2025 | 38.2% | 65.7% |
| 153 | Greece | 52.0% | 2025 | 44.7% | 59.9% |
| 155 | North Macedonia | 51.9% | 2025 | 42.7% | 61.8% |
| 155 | Venezuela | 51.9% | 2025 | 37.1% | 67.5% |
| 157 | Romania | 51.3% | 2025 | 41.8% | 61.7% |
| 158 | Eswatini | 51.2% | 2025 | 48.5% | 54.0% |
| 159 | Gabon | 51.1% | 2025 | 41.6% | 60.1% |
| 160 | Tonga | 49.8% | 2025 | 42.3% | 59.0% |
| 161 | Italy | 49.3% | 2025 | 40.8% | 58.3% |
| 162 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 49.0% | 2025 | 39.2% | 60.0% |
| 163 | Sri Lanka | 48.5% | 2025 | 31.0% | 67.8% |
| 164 | Libya | 48.0% | 2025 | 33.0% | 62.5% |
| 165 | The Gambia | 47.5% | 2025 | 45.5% | 49.5% |
| 166 | Tunisia | 45.2% | 2025 | 26.5% | 64.9% |
| 167 | West Bank and Gaza | 45.0% | 2022 | 18.9% | 72.1% |
| 168 | Egypt | 44.6% | 2025 | 18.5% | 70.5% |
| 169 | Morocco | 43.9% | 2025 | 19.7% | 68.1% |
| 170 | Lebanon | 43.4% | 2023 | 22.2% | 66.7% |
| 171 | Puerto Rico | 42.8% | 2025 | 36.9% | 49.6% |
| 172 | Samoa | 42.5% | 2025 | 30.7% | 54.5% |
| 173 | Turkmenistan | 42.0% | 2025 | 38.2% | 46.1% |
| 174 | Iraq | 41.5% | 2025 | 10.9% | 72.6% |
| 175 | Iran | 41.0% | 2025 | 14.0% | 67.2% |
| 176 | Algeria | 40.8% | 2025 | 14.1% | 66.4% |
| 176 | Mauritania | 40.8% | 2025 | 26.2% | 56.6% |
| 178 | Jordan | 40.1% | 2025 | 16.0% | 62.5% |
| 179 | Nepal | 39.2% | 2025 | 27.5% | 52.9% |
| 180 | Tajikistan | 38.3% | 2025 | 21.9% | 55.8% |
| 181 | Sudan | 37.5% | 2022 | 14.5% | 61.6% |
| 181 | Afghanistan | 37.5% | 2025 | 5.1% | 69.8% |
| 183 | Syria | 36.9% | 2025 | 12.7% | 61.4% |
| 184 | Somalia | 33.8% | 2025 | 20.7% | 47.2% |
| 185 | Yemen | 33.1% | 2025 | 4.7% | 61.2% |
| 186 | Djibouti | 31.7% | 2025 | 19.4% | 44.6% |
| 187 | Sao Tome and Principe | 23.3% | 2025 | 22.7% | 24.0% |
Each figure is the latest available for that country, so rows can refer to different years; compare years before comparing values. Values are rounded for display; the CSV download has full precision.
No figure: American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Isle of Man, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Saint Martin, San Marino, Seychelles, Sint Maarten, St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu.
Embed this map
<a href="https://statisticsoftheworld.com/labor-force-participation-by-country"><img src="https://statisticsoftheworld.com/maps/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS.svg" width="960" height="500" alt="World map of labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over), mostly 2025 data. Source: World Bank World Development Indicators."></a>
<p>Source: World Bank World Development Indicators. Map: <a href="https://statisticsoftheworld.com/labor-force-participation-by-country">Statistics of the World</a></p>By region
| Region | Countries | Highest | Lowest | Median, each country counted once |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asia & Pacific | 29 | Solomon Islands (84.3%) | Samoa (42.5%) | 64.4% |
| Europe & Central Asia | 49 | Iceland (74.9%) | Tajikistan (38.3%) | 60.1% |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 31 | Bolivia (78.6%) | Puerto Rico (42.8%) | 63.1% |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 23 | Qatar (87.0%) | Djibouti (31.7%) | 45.0% |
| North America | 2 | Canada (64.5%) | United States (61.7%) | 63.1% |
| South Asia | 6 | Bhutan (64.8%) | Nepal (39.2%) | 57.2% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 47 | Madagascar (85.5%) | Sao Tome and Principe (23.3%) | 64.3% |
Where major economies rank
- United States: 61.7% in 2025, rank 92 of 187.
- China: 64.6% in 2025, rank 67 of 187.
- India: 55.7% in 2025, rank 136 of 187.
- Japan: 63.4% in 2025, rank 80 of 187.
- Germany: 60.6% in 2025, rank 98 of 187.
- United Kingdom: 61.4% in 2025, rank 95 of 187.
- France: 55.3% in 2025, rank 138 of 187.
- Brazil: 63.1% in 2025, rank 83 of 187.
- Canada: 64.5% in 2025, rank 69 of 187.
- Nigeria: 82.5% in 2025, rank 5 of 187.
About labor force participation
These are the International Labour Organization’s modelled estimates, published by the World Bank, which put every country on the same definition. Participation is lower where many young people are still in school, where people retire early, and where fewer women work outside the home.
The gap between men and women is often the largest difference between countries. A low rate is not the same as high unemployment: people outside the labor force are neither working nor looking for work.
About these figures
Definition. 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. (The publisher's definition of “Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate)”, copied from the World Bank (World Development Indicators) on 2026-09-07.)
Unit. % of total population ages 15+
Coverage. 187 of 217 countries and territories have a figure. 182 of 187 countries show 2025; the other 5 show their latest available year (2021, 2022 or 2023).
The median and any other summary on this page count each country once, so they are not world averages. Values are rounded for display; the CSV download has full precision.
The publisher revises past years when it updates the series, so a figure here can change after it first appears.
Questions about these figures
Which country has the highest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)?
Qatar has the highest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over): 87.0% in 2025. The figures come from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Which country has the lowest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)?
Sao Tome and Principe has the lowest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over): 23.3% in 2025.
How many countries are ranked, and for which years?
187 countries and territories have a figure in this ranking. 182 of 187 countries show 2025; the other 5 show their latest available year (2021, 2022 or 2023).
What is the median labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over) across countries?
The median is 61.5%: half of the 187 countries are above it and half below. The most common year of the figures is 2025. It counts each country once, so it is not a world average.
Where does the United States rank on labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)?
The United States ranks 92 of 187, at 61.7% in 2025.
Which country has the highest labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over) in each region?
East Asia & Pacific: the Solomon Islands (84.3%); Europe & Central Asia: Iceland (74.9%); Latin America & Caribbean: Bolivia (78.6%); Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Qatar (87.0%); North America: Canada (64.5%); South Asia: Bhutan (64.8%); Sub-Saharan Africa: Madagascar (85.5%). Figures are for 2025 unless another year is shown. Regions follow the World Bank's groups.
Use and cite this data
- The download button above saves this table's rows as CSV, filtered and in the order shown. The API also serves this indicator as CSV: statisticsoftheworld.com/api/v1/rankings/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS?format=csv. It lists the stored latest figures highest first under the publisher's country names and can include the World aggregate, so its rows and ranks can differ from this table.
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Statistics of the World. Labor Force Participation by Country: 2025 Rankings. Data: World Bank World Development Indicators, figures for 2021 to 2025. https://statisticsoftheworld.com/labor-force-participation-by-country