Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania
Tanzania: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 81.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania, 1978–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania stood at 81.7%.
That represents a change of up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania peaked at 91.7% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 71.9%, in 2012.
That places Tanzania 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 82.1% | — |
| 2001 | 84.4% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 87.2% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 91.7% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 81.7% | -10.9% |
| 2011 | 80.9% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 71.9% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 74.0% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 80.1% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 79.4% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 81.7% | +2.8% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 81.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.6%, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 81.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.6%, 1.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 82.1% | 82.1% | 82.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 87.8% | 84.4% | 91.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 77.7% | 71.9% | 81.7% | 5 |
| 2020s | 80.6% | 79.4% | 81.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More work & labour data for Tanzania
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 7,078 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 83.66 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 36,231 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.52 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.09 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 8,562 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 2,584 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 82.38 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.35 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Tanzania was 81.7% in 2024, 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 91.7% in 2008.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.9% in 2012.
- How does Tanzania rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Tanzania ranks 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 11 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.