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Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)
What this indicator measures
The share of people aged 15 and over who work or are looking for a job.
How to read this?
Shows how much of the population takes part in the job market. A low value can reflect many students, retirees or people staying at home.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
The "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)" ranking covers 184 countries and territories. Lowest value: São Tomé & Príncipe (23.3 %). Highest value: Qatar (87 %). Median: 61.6 % (data: 2021–2025). The top 10% of countries exceed 73.7 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 44.1 %. By continent, the median is highest in Asia (63.8 %) and lowest in Oceania (57.2 %).
Median by continent
- Asia 63.8 % (48)
- South America 63.3 % (12)
- North America 62.1 % (21)
- Africa 61.9 % (51)
- Europe 60.4 % (39)
- Oceania 57.2 % (11)
Why this indicator matters
The labor force participation rate shows what share of the adult population works or is looking for a job. It lets you compare how much of the population is engaged in work in each country and better interpret unemployment figures.
What makes this indicator vary
It depends on the age of the population, the length of schooling, the retirement age and women's work. It is also influenced by family policies, health and the structure of the economy.
Reading precautions
A low rate does not necessarily mean the economy is doing badly: it may reflect many retirees or students. It also does not distinguish the type or quality of jobs, nor undeclared work.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 87 % | 2025 |
| 2e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 85.5 % | 2025 |
| 3e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 84.3 % | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 83.7 % | 2025 |
| 5e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 82.5 % | 2025 |
| 6e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 82.4 % | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 82.2 % | 2025 |
| 8e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 80 % | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 79.7 % | 2025 |
| 10e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 78.7 % | 2025 |
| 11e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 78.6 % | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 78.6 % | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 78.3 % | 2025 |
| 14e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 78.3 % | 2025 |
| 15e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 76.6 % | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 76.4 % | 2025 |
| 17e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 74.9 % | 2025 |
| 18e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 74.8 % | 2025 |
| 19e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 73.8 % | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 73.4 % | 2025 |
| 21e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 73.4 % | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 72.9 % | 2025 |
| 23e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 72.8 % | 2025 |
| 24e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 72.3 % | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 70.4 % | 2025 |
| 26e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 70.4 % | 2025 |
| 27e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 70.2 % | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 70 % | 2025 |
| 29e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 69.7 % | 2025 |
| 30e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 69.6 % | 2025 |
| 31e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 68.8 % | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 68.5 % | 2025 |
| 33e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 68.4 % | 2025 |
| 34e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 68.3 % | 2025 |
| 35e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 68 % | 2025 |
| 36e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 67.9 % | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇲🇴 Macao SAR China | 67.8 % | 2025 |
| 38e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 67.8 % | 2025 |
| 39e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 67.8 % | 2025 |
| 40e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 67.7 % | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 67.4 % | 2025 |
| 42e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 67.2 % | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 67.1 % | 2025 |
| 44e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 67 % | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 67 % | 2025 |
| 46e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 67 % | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 66.7 % | 2025 |
| 48e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 66.7 % | 2025 |
| 49e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 66.5 % | 2025 |
| 50e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 66.3 % | 2025 |
| 51e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 66.1 % | 2025 |
| 52e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 66.1 % | 2025 |
| 53e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 66.1 % | 2025 |
| 54e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 65.6 % | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 65.5 % | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 65.2 % | 2025 |
| 57e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 65.1 % | 2025 |
| 58e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 65.1 % | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 65 % | 2025 |
| 60e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 64.9 % | 2025 |
| 61e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 64.8 % | 2025 |
| 62e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 64.8 % | 2025 |
| 63e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 64.8 % | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 64.8 % | 2025 |
| 65e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 64.7 % | 2025 |
| 66e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 64.6 % | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇨🇳 China | 64.6 % | 2025 |
| 68e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 64.5 % | 2025 |
| 69e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 64.5 % | 2025 |
| 70e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 64.4 % | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 64.3 % | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 64.3 % | 2025 |
| 73e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 64.3 % | 2025 |
| 74e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 64.2 % | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 64 % | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 63.9 % | 2025 |
| 77e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 63.7 % | 2025 |
| 78e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 63.5 % | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 63.4 % | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 63.4 % | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 63.3 % | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 63.1 % | 2025 |
| 83e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 62.9 % | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 62.7 % | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 62.6 % | 2025 |
| 86e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 62.3 % | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇬🇺 Guam | 62.3 % | 2025 |
| 88e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 62.1 % | 2025 |
| 89e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 61.9 % | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 61.9 % | 2025 |
| 91e | 🇺🇸 United States | 61.7 % | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 61.6 % | 2025 |
| 93e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 61.5 % | 2025 |
| 94e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 61.4 % | 2025 |
| 95e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 61.4 % | 2025 |
| 96e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 61.1 % | 2025 |
| 97e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 60.6 % | 2025 |
| 98e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 60.6 % | 2025 |
| 99e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 60.5 % | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 60.5 % | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 60.4 % | 2025 |
| 102e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 60.3 % | 2025 |
| 103e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 60.1 % | 2025 |
| 104e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 59.7 % | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 59.7 % | 2025 |
| 106e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 59.6 % | 2025 |
| 107e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 59.4 % | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 59.4 % | 2025 |
| 109e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 59.1 % | 2025 |
| 110e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 59.1 % | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 58.8 % | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 58.8 % | 2025 |
| 113e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 58.5 % | 2025 |
| 114e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 58.5 % | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 58.3 % | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 58.2 % | 2025 |
| 117e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 58.1 % | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 58 % | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 57.8 % | 2025 |
| 120e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 57.8 % | 2025 |
| 121e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 57.7 % | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 57.6 % | 2025 |
| 123e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 57.5 % | 2025 |
| 124e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 57.4 % | 2025 |
| 125e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 57.4 % | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 57.2 % | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 57.1 % | 2025 |
| 128e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 57 % | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 56.6 % | 2025 |
| 130e | 🇳🇨 New Caledonia | 56.4 % | 2025 |
| 131e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 56.4 % | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 56.1 % | 2025 |
| 133e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 55.8 % | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇮🇳 India | 55.7 % | 2025 |
| 135e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 55.6 % | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇫🇷 France | 55.3 % | 2025 |
| 137e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 55.1 % | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 55 % | 2025 |
| 139e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 54.6 % | 2021 |
| 140e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 54.4 % | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands | 54.4 % | 2025 |
| 142e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 54.3 % | 2025 |
| 143e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 53.8 % | 2025 |
| 144e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 53.4 % | 2025 |
| 145e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 52.6 % | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇵🇫 French Polynesia | 52.4 % | 2025 |
| 147e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 52.3 % | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 52.2 % | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 52.1 % | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 52.1 % | 2025 |
| 151e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 52 % | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 52 % | 2025 |
| 153e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 51.9 % | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 51.9 % | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 51.3 % | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 51.2 % | 2025 |
| 157e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 51.1 % | 2025 |
| 158e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 49.8 % | 2025 |
| 159e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 49.3 % | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 49 % | 2025 |
| 161e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 48.5 % | 2025 |
| 162e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 48 % | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 47.5 % | 2025 |
| 164e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 45.2 % | 2025 |
| 165e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 44.6 % | 2025 |
| 166e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 43.9 % | 2025 |
| 167e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 43.4 % | 2023 |
| 168e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 42.8 % | 2025 |
| 169e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 42.5 % | 2025 |
| 170e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 42 % | 2025 |
| 171e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 41.5 % | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 41 % | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 40.8 % | 2025 |
| 174e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 40.8 % | 2025 |
| 175e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 40.1 % | 2025 |
| 176e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 39.2 % | 2025 |
| 177e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 38.3 % | 2025 |
| 178e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 37.5 % | 2022 |
| 179e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 37.5 % | 2025 |
| 180e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 36.9 % | 2025 |
| 181e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 33.8 % | 2025 |
| 182e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 33.1 % | 2025 |
| 183e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 31.7 % | 2025 |
| 184e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 23.3 % | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)"?
The highest value is in Qatar, at 87 % (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)"?
The lowest value is in São Tomé & Príncipe, at 23.3 % (2025).
What is the world median value of "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)"?
The world median is 61.6 %, calculated across 184 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)" for France?
France scores 55.3 % (2025), ranking 136 out of 184 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Labor force participation rate (ages 15 and over)" data come from?
It comes from Banque mondiale – Indicateurs du développement dans le monde (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
What is the difference between the participation rate and the unemployment rate?
The participation rate counts people who work or are looking for a job within the adult population. The unemployment rate counts only job seekers among the labor force.
Is a low participation rate a bad sign?
Not necessarily. It can come from an older population, longer studies or many people who are not looking for work. It should be read alongside the structure of the population.
Source and update
Source : Banque mondiale – Indicateurs du développement dans le monde (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Employment
- UnemploymentThe share of people who want to work but have no job, among everyone who works or is looking for work.
- Youth unemployment (ages 15-24)The share of 15-24 year-olds without a job among those who work or are looking for work (students not seeking a job are not counted).
- Employment in agricultureThe share of workers whose job is farming, livestock, fishing or forestry.
- Employment in industryThe share of workers employed in factories, mines, construction sites and energy production.
- Employment in servicesThe share of workers employed in services: retail, health, education, banking, transport, restaurants and so on.
- Employment rate (ages 15 and over)The share of people aged 15 and over who have a job.
- Self-employed workersThe share of workers who work for themselves or run their own business, rather than being employees.