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Female labor force participation rate in China

China: Female labor force participation rate was 59.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
59.1%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
54th
of 186 countries
All-time high
73.1%
in 1990
All-time low
59.1%
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Female labor force participation rate in China, 1990–2025

0204060801990200720251990: 73.1 %1991: 72.6 %1992: 72.1 %1993: 71.6 %1994: 71.1 %1995: 70.6 %1996: 70 %1997: 69.5 %1998: 69 %1999: 68.5 %2000: 67.9 %2001: 67.5 %2002: 67.1 %2003: 66.7 %2004: 66.2 %2005: 65.8 %2006: 65.4 %2007: 65 %2008: 64.5 %2009: 64.1 %2010: 63.7 %2011: 63.7 %2012: 63.3 %2013: 63 %2014: 62.8 %2015: 62.6 %2016: 62.3 %2017: 62 %2018: 61.6 %2019: 61.3 %2020: 59.7 %2021: 61.2 %2022: 60.1 %2023: 60.2 %2024: 59.4 %2025: 59.1 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2025, female labor force participation rate in China stood at 59.1%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in China peaked at 73.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 59.1%, in 2025.

China ranks 54th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 70.8% 68.5% 73.1% 10
2000s 66.0% 64.1% 67.9% 10
2010s 62.6% 61.3% 63.7% 10
2020s 60.0% 59.1% 61.2% 6

Countries ranked near China

  1. 51 Ireland 59.8% compare
  2. 52 Cote d'Ivoire 59.5% compare
  3. 53 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 59.2% compare
  4. 55 Paraguay 59.0% compare
  5. 56 Thailand 59.0% compare
  6. 57 Albania 58.6% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is female labor force participation rate in China?
Female labor force participation rate in China was 59.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 73.1% in 1990.
What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 59.1% in 2025.
How does China rank for female labor force participation rate?
China ranks 54th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, 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.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Female labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).