Employment rate in Maldives
Maldives: Employment rate was 60.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
60.6%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
68th
of 186 countries
All-time high
60.8%
in 2023
All-time low
46.0%
in 2009
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Maldives, 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 in Maldives is 60.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Maldives peaked at 60.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 46.0%, in 2009.
Maldives ranks 68th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Maldives, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 49.5% | — |
| 1992 | 49.8% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 50.2% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 50.5% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 50.9% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 51.5% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 52.0% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 52.6% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 53.2% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 53.7% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 52.8% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 51.1% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 50.3% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 49.4% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 48.6% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 47.7% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 47.0% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 46.0% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 47.0% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 50.3% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 51.4% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 52.5% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 53.6% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 56.0% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 58.4% | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 60.7% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 55.1% | -9.2% |
| 2021 | 56.8% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 60.7% | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 60.8% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 60.5% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 60.6% | +0.2% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 60.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.7%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 60.6% is above the median for South Asia, which is 54.9%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.1% | 49.5% | 53.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 49.9% | 46.0% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.7% | 47.0% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.1% | 55.1% | 60.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More work & labour data for Maldives
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3002 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4913 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1384 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.545 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 310.55 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 265.89 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 257.6 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 217.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 474.92 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Maldives?
- Employment rate in Maldives was 60.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 60.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.0% in 2009.
- How does Maldives rank for employment rate?
- Maldives ranks 68th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Maldives 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.