Female labor force participation rate in Turkey

Turkey: Female labor force participation rate was 36.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
36.2%
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
170th
of 194 countries
All-time high
65.4%
in 1960
All-time low
23.3%
in 2005
Years of data
35
1960–2025

Female labor force participation rate in Turkey, 1960–2025

02040601960199220251960: 65.4 %1965: 56.7 %1970: 50.9 %1975: 47.4 %1980: 46.2 %1985: 44.3 %1988: 36 %1989: 37.4 %1990: 34.2 %2000: 26.6 %2001: 27.1 %2002: 27.9 %2003: 26.6 %2004: 23.3 %2005: 23.3 %2006: 23.6 %2007: 23.6 %2008: 24.5 %2009: 26 %2010: 27.6 %2011: 28.8 %2012: 29.5 %2013: 30.8 %2014: 30.3 %2015: 31.5 %2016: 32.5 %2017: 33.6 %2018: 34.2 %2019: 34.4 %2020: 30.9 %2021: 32.8 %2022: 35.1 %2023: 35.8 %2024: 36.8 %2025: 36.2 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Turkey recorded 36.2% for female labor force participation rate in 2025.

The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Turkey peaked at 65.4% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 23.3%, in 2005.

That places Turkey 170th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 61.1% 56.7% 65.4% 2
1970s 49.1% 47.4% 50.9% 2
1980s 41.0% 36.0% 46.2% 4
1990s 34.2% 34.2% 34.2% 1
2000s 25.3% 23.3% 27.9% 10
2010s 31.3% 27.6% 34.4% 10
2020s 34.6% 30.9% 36.8% 6

Countries ranked near Turkey

  1. 167 Bangladesh 38.4% compare
  2. 168 Fiji 37.8% compare
  3. 169 Marshall Islands 37.3% compare
  4. 171 Saudi Arabia 35.2% compare
  5. 172 Tuvalu 35.2% compare
  6. 173 Nauru 34.4% compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More work & labour data for Turkey

All data for Turkey →

Frequently asked questions

What is female labor force participation rate in Turkey?
Female labor force participation rate in Turkey was 36.2% 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 recorded in Turkey?
The highest recorded value was 65.4% in 1960.
What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Turkey?
The lowest recorded value was 23.3% in 2005.
How does Turkey rank for female labor force participation rate?
Turkey ranks 170th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Turkey?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Turkey 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

Indicator
Female labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 4,756 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.