Employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Employment rate, men vs. women was 51.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea is 51.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea peaked at 51.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 1997.
Papua New Guinea ranks 172nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 47.2% | — |
| 1992 | 47.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 47.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 47.2% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 47.2% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 47.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 47.0% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 47.1% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 47.2% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 47.2% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 47.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 47.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 47.5% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 47.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 47.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 47.6% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 47.6% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 47.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 47.9% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 48.3% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 48.7% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 49.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 49.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 49.8% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 50.2% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 50.5% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 50.3% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 50.8% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 51.6% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 51.6% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 51.7% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47.2% | 47.0% | 47.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 47.4% | 47.1% | 47.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.9% | 47.5% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.2% | 50.3% | 51.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 169 Samoa 52.5% compare
- 170 Mauritania 52.0% compare
- 171 French Polynesia 51.7% compare
- 173 Gabon 51.4% compare
- 174 Tajikistan 51.2% compare
- 175 Yemen 51.2% compare
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea?
- Employment rate, men vs. women in Papua New Guinea was 51.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 51.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 1997.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for employment rate, men vs. women?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 172nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate, men vs. women rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate, men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the male working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.