Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China

China: Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) was 24.8% in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
24.8%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
7th
of 187 countries
All-time high
26.8%
in 2012
All-time low
20.8%
in 2003
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China, 1991–2025

01020301991200820251991: 24.61992: 24.61993: 25.11994: 25.21995: 25.21996: 25.51997: 25.41998: 24.81999: 23.82000: 25.32001: 22.32002: 20.92003: 20.82004: 21.52005: 22.52006: 23.62007: 252008: 252009: 25.22010: 25.82011: 26.32012: 26.82013: 26.22014: 25.72015: 24.82016: 24.92017: 252018: 25.12019: 25.32020: 25.52021: 25.32022: 24.52023: 24.82024: 24.82025: 24.8

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China is 24.8%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China peaked at 26.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 20.8%, in 2003.

That places China 7th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China, year by year

Annual values for Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in China, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 24.6%
1992 24.6% -0.1%
1993 25.1% +2.1%
1994 25.2% +0.3%
1995 25.2% +0.3%
1996 25.5% +1.1%
1997 25.4% -0.5%
1998 24.8% -2.4%
1999 23.8% -3.8%
2000 25.3% +6.3%
2001 22.3% -12.0%
2002 20.9% -6.1%
2003 20.8% -0.7%
2004 21.5% +3.3%
2005 22.5% +4.8%
2006 23.6% +5.0%
2007 25.0% +5.6%
2008 25.0% +0.1%
2009 25.2% +1.0%
2010 25.8% +2.2%
2011 26.3% +1.9%
2012 26.8% +2.0%
2013 26.2% -2.0%
2014 25.7% -2.0%
2015 24.8% -3.5%
2016 24.9% +0.4%
2017 25.0% +0.3%
2018 25.1% +0.6%
2019 25.3% +0.7%
2020 25.5% +0.7%
2021 25.3% -0.9%
2022 24.5% -2.9%
2023 24.8% +1.2%
2024 24.8% -0.0%
2025 24.8% -0.1%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 24.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.3%, 2.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
  • China's 24.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.9%, 2.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 24.9% 23.8% 25.5% 9
2000s 23.2% 20.8% 25.3% 10
2010s 25.6% 24.8% 26.8% 10
2020s 25.0% 24.5% 25.5% 6

Countries ranked near China

  1. 4 Tonga 26.9% compare
  2. 5 Cambodia 25.8% compare
  3. 6 Iran, Islamic Republic of 25.3% compare
  4. 8 Algeria 24.6% compare
  5. 9 North Macedonia 24.4% compare
  6. 10 Sri Lanka 24.1% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More work & labour data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China?
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China was 24.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 26.8% in 2012.
What is the lowest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 20.8% in 2003.
How does China rank for employment in industry, female (% of female employment)?
China ranks 7th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-in-industry-female-percent-of-female-employment-modeled-ilo-estimate/china/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-in-industry-female-percent-of-female-employment-modeled-ilo-estimate/china/">Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in China</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 8,211 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).