Female labor force participation rate in Tunisia
Tunisia: Female labor force participation rate was 26.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Tunisia, 1966–2023
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tunisia recorded 26.7% for female labor force participation rate in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Tunisia peaked at 44.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1966.
That places Tunisia 182nd out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate in Tunisia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 5.5% | — |
| 1975 | 19.5% | +252.8% |
| 1980 | 19.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 21.9% | +12.3% |
| 1989 | 20.3% | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 22.9% | +12.6% |
| 1997 | 23.7% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 17.5% | -26.1% |
| 2005 | 23.6% | +34.9% |
| 2006 | 24.4% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 24.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 24.8% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 25.6% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 21.1% | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 26.0% | +23.1% |
| 2016 | 26.6% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 26.5% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 28.1% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 44.1% | +56.6% |
| 2022 | 27.3% | -38.1% |
| 2023 | 26.7% | -2.3% |
Tunisia compared with similar countries
- Tunisia's 26.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.6%, 56% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tunisia's 26.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 26.7%, 1.0× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate in Tunisia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +252.8% | 5.5% | 19.5% |
| 2021 | +56.6% | 28.1% | 44.1% |
| 2022 | -38.1% | 44.1% | 27.3% |
| 2005 | +34.9% | 17.5% | 23.6% |
| 2003 | -26.1% | 23.7% | 17.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 20.6% | 19.5% | 21.9% | 3 |
| 1990s | 23.3% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 23.3% | 17.5% | 24.8% | 6 |
| 2010s | 25.5% | 21.1% | 28.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 32.7% | 26.7% | 44.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Tunisia
More work & labour data for Tunisia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7225 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6962 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6752 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 11,138 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,745 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,323 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,329 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 10,652 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Tunisia?
- Female labor force participation rate in Tunisia was 26.7% in 2023, 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 Tunisia?
- The highest recorded value was 44.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Tunisia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1966.
- How does Tunisia rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Tunisia ranks 182nd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Tunisia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tunisia 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.