Female labor force participation rates in Kuwait
Kuwait: Female labor force participation rates was 47.2 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
47.2
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
132nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
49.87
in 2017
All-time low
40.68
in 1992
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Kuwait, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rates in Kuwait is 47.2, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Kuwait peaked at 49.87 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 40.68, in 1992.
That places Kuwait 132nd 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 Kuwait, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 41.4 | — |
| 1991 | 41.2 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 40.68 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 41.11 | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 42.38 | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 43.11 | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 43.59 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 43.69 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 43.79 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 43.94 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 44.18 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 44.53 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 45.02 | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 45.62 | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 45.92 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 46.09 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 46.03 | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 46.05 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 46.27 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 46.69 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 47.29 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 48.15 | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 48.89 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 49.29 | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 49.54 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 49.65 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 49.53 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 49.87 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 49.61 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 49.32 | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 46.54 | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 47.51 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 49.62 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 48.18 | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 47.34 | -1.7% |
| 2025 | 47.2 | -0.3% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 47.2 is below the median for high income countries, which is 55.09, 86% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 47.2 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.23, 2.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 42.49 | 40.68 | 43.94 | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.64 | 44.18 | 46.69 | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.11 | 47.29 | 49.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.73 | 46.54 | 49.62 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More work & labour data for Kuwait
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7211 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.9054 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2002)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4407 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,644 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 0 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,171 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,431 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,602 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates in Kuwait?
- Female labor force participation rates in Kuwait was 47.2 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 49.87 in 2017.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.68 in 1992.
- How does Kuwait rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Kuwait ranks 132nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).