Female labor force participation rates in Belgium
Belgium: Female labor force participation rates was 49.78 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
49.78
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
120th
of 186 countries
All-time high
50.03
in 2022
All-time low
36.46
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Belgium, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rates in Belgium stood at 49.78.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Belgium peaked at 50.03 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 36.46, in 1990.
That places Belgium 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.46 | — |
| 1991 | 37.91 | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 38.76 | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 39.46 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 40.04 | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 40.42 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 40.53 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 40.97 | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 41.54 | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 43.15 | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 43.62 | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 41.79 | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 42.51 | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 42.88 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 44.19 | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 45.69 | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 45.82 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 46.59 | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 46.93 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 46.98 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 47.77 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 47.1 | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 47.16 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 47.8 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 48.12 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 48.05 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 47.81 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 47.97 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 48.77 | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 49.1 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 48.66 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 49.37 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 50.03 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 49.83 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 49.97 | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 49.78 | -0.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 49.78 is below the median for high income countries, which is 55.09, 90% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 49.78 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.59, 91% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.92 | 36.46 | 43.15 | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.7 | 41.79 | 46.98 | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.97 | 47.1 | 49.1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.61 | 48.66 | 50.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 117 Cape Verde 50.47 compare
- 118 Bulgaria 50.38 compare
- 119 South Africa 49.88 compare
- 121 El Salvador 49.05 compare
- 122 Eswatini 48.52 compare
- 123 Lesotho 48.09 compare
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates in Belgium?
- Female labor force participation rates in Belgium was 49.78 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 50.03 in 2022.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.46 in 1990.
- How does Belgium rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Belgium ranks 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).