Netherlands vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates over time
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 87.4% against 87.2% in Netherlands, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Netherlands ahead.
Netherlands ranks 43rd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 40th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Netherlands averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.9% | 73.6% | 0.7% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2000s | 79.3% | 79.0% | 0.3% | Netherlands |
| 2010s | 84.2% | 83.2% | 1.0% | Netherlands |
| 2020s | 86.9% | 87.1% | 0.2% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher ratio of female to male labor force participation rates, Netherlands or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 87.4% against 87.2% in Netherlands as of 2025.
- What is the difference in ratio of female to male labor force participation rates between Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 0.2%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Netherlands and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Netherlands ranks 43rd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 40th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).