Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Female employment to population ratio was 27.7 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
27.7
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
159th
of 172 countries
All-time high
35.55
in 1998
All-time low
15.59
in 1981
Years of data
30
1981–2024

Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024

0102030401981200220241981: 15.61985: 30.21994: 29.31995: 29.21996: 29.81997: 30.61998: 35.51999: 33.62000: 32.32001: 28.22002: 29.22003: 312004: 30.22005: 27.22007: 30.42010: 31.82011: 31.82012: 30.92013: 322014: 31.52015: 33.12016: 33.42017: 34.32018: 31.22019: 31.92020: 29.32021: 29.32022: 302023: 29.12024: 27.7

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka is 27.7, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka peaked at 35.55 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 15.59, in 1981.

Sri Lanka ranks 159th of 172 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka, 1981 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1981 15.59
1985 30.23 +93.9%
1994 29.31 -3.0%
1995 29.16 -0.5%
1996 29.78 +2.1%
1997 30.64 +2.9%
1998 35.55 +16.0%
1999 33.6 -5.5%
2000 32.32 -3.8%
2001 28.2 -12.8%
2002 29.2 +3.5%
2003 30.98 +6.1%
2004 30.24 -2.4%
2005 27.2 -10.1%
2007 30.35 +11.6%
2010 31.78 +4.7%
2011 31.83 +0.2%
2012 30.89 -2.9%
2013 32.05 +3.7%
2014 31.46 -1.8%
2015 33.15 +5.4%
2016 33.37 +0.7%
2017 34.25 +2.6%
2018 31.18 -9.0%
2019 31.9 +2.3%
2020 29.34 -8.0%
2021 29.28 -0.2%
2022 30 +2.4%
2023 29.11 -2.9%
2024 27.7 -4.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 22.91 15.59 30.23 2
1990s 31.34 29.16 35.55 6
2000s 29.79 27.2 32.32 7
2010s 32.19 30.89 34.25 10
2020s 29.09 27.7 30 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 156 Eswatini 30.55 compare
  2. 157 Samoa 28.97 compare
  3. 158 Senegal 28.78 compare
  4. 160 Pakistan 25.39 compare
  5. 161 Nepal 24.56 compare
  6. 162 Afghanistan 22.01 compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More work & labour data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka?
Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka was 27.7 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest female employment to population ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 35.55 in 1998.
What is the lowest female employment to population ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 15.59 in 1981.
How does Sri Lanka rank for female employment to population ratio?
Sri Lanka ranks 159th out of 172 countries with data for 2024.
Is female employment to population ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment to population ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Female employment to population ratio in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/female-employment-to-population-ratio/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Female employment to population ratio
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
172 places, 4,067 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed