Netherlands vs Sweden: Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force)
Netherlands
64.4%
in 2025
Sweden
64.6%
in 2025
Netherlands rank
34th
Sweden rank
31st
Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) over time
- Netherlands
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 64.6% against 64.4% in Netherlands, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 42 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Sweden ahead.
Netherlands ranks 34th and Sweden ranks 31st of 194 countries.
Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 37.0% | 74.2% | 37.2% | Sweden |
| 1990s | 48.2% | 63.7% | 15.5% | Sweden |
| 2000s | 56.5% | 58.9% | 2.4% | Sweden |
| 2010s | 59.0% | 69.2% | 10.2% | Sweden |
| 2020s | 63.2% | 65.1% | 1.9% | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female labor force participation rate, Netherlands or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 64.6% against 64.4% in Netherlands as of 2025.
- What is the difference in female labor force participation rate between Netherlands and Sweden?
- 0.2%, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and Sweden?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2025.
- How do Netherlands and Sweden rank globally for female labor force participation rate?
- Netherlands ranks 34th and Sweden ranks 31st of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.