Labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force participation rate by age was 25.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka is 25.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka peaked at 52.4% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 25.0%, in 2024.
That places Sri Lanka 169th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47.5% | 43.2% | 52.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.5% | 35.6% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.5% | 29.9% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.1% | 25.0% | 28.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 48.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 45.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 31.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 53.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 35.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force participation rate by age in Sri Lanka was 25.0% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 52.4% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.0% in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- Sri Lanka ranks 169th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).