Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador
Ecuador: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 52.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador, 1962–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador is 52.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador peaked at 56.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 17.1%, in 1974.
Ecuador ranks 117th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 17.6% | — |
| 1974 | 17.1% | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 30.3% | +77.2% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 19.5% | -35.3% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | +67.6% |
| 1989 | 32.7% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 28.2% | -13.9% |
| 1996 | 48.4% | +71.9% |
| 1997 | 48.8% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 52.2% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 46.0% | -11.9% |
| 2001 | 54.7% | +19.0% |
| 2002 | 53.2% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 49.2% | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 52.9% | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 52.0% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 52.8% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 52.1% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 52.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 49.9% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 48.2% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 47.3% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 48.3% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 48.2% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 47.8% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 52.0% | +8.8% |
| 2016 | 55.5% | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 56.3% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 54.5% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 48.4% | -11.2% |
| 2021 | 53.7% | +11.1% |
| 2022 | 54.3% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 52.9% | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 52.5% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 52.0% | -0.8% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 52.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 52.2%, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 52.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 53.7%, 97% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +77.2% | 17.1% | 30.3% |
| 1996 | +71.9% | 28.2% | 48.4% |
| 1988 | +67.6% | 19.5% | 32.8% |
| 1982 | -35.3% | 30.2% | 19.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 17.1% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 1 |
| 1980s | 29.1% | 19.5% | 32.8% | 5 |
| 1990s | 44.4% | 28.2% | 52.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 51.5% | 46.0% | 54.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.3% | 47.3% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.3% | 48.4% | 54.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More work & labour data for Ecuador
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.578 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.567 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.589 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 17,174 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,794 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,543 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,549 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 19,092 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ecuador was 52.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.1% in 1974.
- How does Ecuador rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Ecuador ranks 117th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ecuador 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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.