Female labor force participation rate in Mauritius
Mauritius: Female labor force participation rate was 47.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Mauritius, 1962–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, female labor force participation rate in Mauritius stood at 47.6%.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Mauritius peaked at 58.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 1984.
That places Mauritius 133rd out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 in Mauritius, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 17.5% | — |
| 1972 | 20.6% | +17.5% |
| 1983 | 28.1% | +36.3% |
| 1984 | 14.2% | -49.4% |
| 1987 | 41.9% | +195.0% |
| 1989 | 43.3% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 34.7% | -20.0% |
| 1991 | 40.8% | +17.7% |
| 1992 | 41.6% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 42.3% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 43.2% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 38.8% | -10.1% |
| 2000 | 38.5% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 36.8% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 41.8% | +8.9% |
| 2004 | 40.4% | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 41.8% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 41.8% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 42.1% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 43.6% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 42.6% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 42.9% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 44.8% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 45.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 46.2% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 45.1% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 45.2% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 45.9% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 58.3% | +26.8% |
| 2021 | 40.3% | -30.8% |
| 2022 | 42.2% | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 46.9% | +11.0% |
| 2024 | 47.6% | +1.5% |
Mauritius compared with similar countries
- Mauritius's 47.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 52.2%, 91% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Mauritius's 47.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.6%, 83% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate in Mauritius 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +195.0% | 14.2% | 41.9% |
| 1984 | -49.4% | 28.1% | 14.2% |
| 1983 | +36.3% | 20.6% | 28.1% |
| 2021 | -30.8% | 58.3% | 40.3% |
| 2020 | +26.8% | 45.9% | 58.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.5% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 20.6% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 31.9% | 14.2% | 43.3% | 4 |
| 1990s | 40.2% | 34.7% | 43.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 40.4% | 36.8% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.7% | 42.6% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 40.3% | 58.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritius
More work & labour data for Mauritius
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.42 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.49 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4521 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 604.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 616.68 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 298.03 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 283.69 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 581.72 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Mauritius?
- Female labor force participation rate in Mauritius was 47.6% 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 recorded in Mauritius?
- The highest recorded value was 58.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Mauritius?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 1984.
- How does Mauritius rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Mauritius ranks 133rd out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Mauritius?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mauritius 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.