Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta
Malta: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 59.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta, 1967–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malta recorded 59.3% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2025.
The figure is down 8.2% on the previous year and up 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta peaked at 64.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1967.
That places Malta 62nd out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 13.4% | — |
| 1979 | 19.3% | +43.6% |
| 1980 | 19.5% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 18.8% | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 17.5% | -7.1% |
| 1985 | 18.4% | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 17.4% | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 18.1% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 18.4% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 18.4% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 18.7% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 19.1% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 23.8% | +24.5% |
| 1996 | 25.4% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 25.6% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 25.9% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | -17.1% |
| 2000 | 29.7% | +38.5% |
| 2001 | 29.6% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 31.0% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 30.8% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 28.6% | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 30.3% | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 30.4% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 32.3% | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 33.5% | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 36.8% | +9.9% |
| 2010 | 37.7% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 42.6% | +8.7% |
| 2013 | 45.1% | +5.7% |
| 2014 | 46.9% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 47.7% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 49.6% | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 51.2% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 53.8% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 55.0% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 57.1% | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 58.7% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 62.7% | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 63.4% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 64.6% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 59.3% | -8.2% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 59.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Malta's 59.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 26.7%, 2.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +43.6% | 13.4% | 19.3% |
| 2000 | +38.5% | 21.4% | 29.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 1 |
| 1970s | 19.3% | 19.3% | 19.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 18.3% | 17.4% | 19.5% | 8 |
| 1990s | 22.9% | 18.7% | 25.9% | 7 |
| 2000s | 31.3% | 28.6% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 37.7% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.0% | 57.1% | 64.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More work & labour data for Malta
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.8118 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7863 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.8415 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.2041 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 404.95 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 168.51 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 191.42 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 359.93 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Malta was 59.3% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1967.
- How does Malta rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Malta ranks 62nd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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
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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.