Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt

Egypt: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 21.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
21.0%
Change on year
up 35.8%
World rank
164th
of 172 countries
All-time high
27.4%
in 1989
All-time low
3.8%
in 1982
Years of data
43
1973–2024

Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt, 1973–2024

5101520251973199820241973: 4.3 %1975: 4.8 %1977: 5.7 %1978: 6.6 %1979: 5.2 %1980: 5.5 %1981: 3.8 %1982: 3.8 %1983: 14.8 %1984: 15.4 %1989: 27.4 %1990: 21.9 %1991: 17.3 %1992: 19.2 %1993: 17.4 %1994: 17.9 %1995: 16.6 %1996: 11.6 %1998: 15.7 %1999: 16.4 %2000: 10.4 %2001: 15.7 %2002: 14 %2005: 17.3 %2006: 16.1 %2007: 18.9 %2008: 17.6 %2009: 17.7 %2010: 18 %2011: 17.4 %2012: 17 %2013: 17.4 %2014: 17.5 %2015: 17 %2016: 17.5 %2017: 16.9 %2018: 14.4 %2019: 12.2 %2020: 11.8 %2021: 12.9 %2022: 12.2 %2023: 15.5 %2024: 21 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Egypt recorded 21.0% for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in 2024.

That represents a change of up 35.8% on the previous year and up 19.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt peaked at 27.4% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1982.

Egypt ranks 164th of 172 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.

Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt, year by year

Annual values for Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt, 1973 to 2024.
Year % Change
1973 4.3%
1975 4.8% +10.8%
1977 5.7% +17.5%
1978 6.6% +16.5%
1979 5.2% -20.9%
1980 5.5% +5.6%
1981 3.8% -30.9%
1982 3.8% -0.2%
1983 14.8% +289.0%
1984 15.4% +4.4%
1989 27.4% +77.7%
1990 21.9% -20.1%
1991 17.3% -21.0%
1992 19.2% +10.7%
1993 17.4% -9.4%
1994 17.9% +3.1%
1995 16.6% -7.4%
1996 11.6% -30.1%
1998 15.7% +35.5%
1999 16.4% +4.9%
2000 10.4% -36.8%
2001 15.7% +51.2%
2002 14.0% -10.8%
2005 17.3% +23.3%
2006 16.1% -7.1%
2007 18.9% +17.5%
2008 17.6% -6.7%
2009 17.7% +0.3%
2010 18.0% +1.6%
2011 17.4% -3.4%
2012 17.0% -2.0%
2013 17.4% +2.1%
2014 17.5% +0.9%
2015 17.0% -2.8%
2016 17.5% +2.7%
2017 16.9% -3.6%
2018 14.4% -14.7%
2019 12.2% -15.0%
2020 11.8% -3.2%
2021 12.9% +8.8%
2022 12.2% -5.0%
2023 15.5% +26.5%
2024 21.0% +35.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.3% 4.3% 6.6% 5
1980s 11.8% 3.8% 27.4% 6
1990s 17.1% 11.6% 21.9% 9
2000s 16.0% 10.4% 18.9% 8
2010s 16.5% 12.2% 18.0% 10
2020s 14.7% 11.8% 21.0% 5

Countries ranked near Egypt

  1. 161 Nepal 24.6% compare
  2. 162 Afghanistan 22.0% compare
  3. 163 Tunisia 21.2% compare
  4. 165 Morocco 16.4% compare
  5. 166 Algeria 13.5% compare
  6. 167 Jordan 13.2% compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More work & labour data for Egypt

All data for Egypt →

Frequently asked questions

What is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt?
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt was 21.0% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Egypt?
The highest recorded value was 27.4% in 1989.
What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Egypt?
The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1982.
How does Egypt rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
Egypt ranks 164th out of 172 countries with data for 2024.
Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Egypt?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Egypt data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Egypt. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/female-employment-to-population-ratio-latest-vs-1980/egypt-arab-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
172 places, 4,067 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.