Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 59.6% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
59.6%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
102nd
of 187 countries
All-time high
68.4%
in 2009
All-time low
55.2%
in 2022
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan stood at 59.6%.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan peaked at 68.4% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 55.2%, in 2022.
Bhutan ranks 102nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 56.3% | — |
| 1991 | 56.5% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 56.8% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 57.2% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 57.6% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 58.0% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 58.6% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 59.8% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 60.5% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 61.4% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 62.3% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 63.3% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 64.3% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 65.4% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 66.3% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 67.0% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 68.0% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 68.4% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 65.9% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 64.6% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 65.8% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 60.8% | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 56.5% | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 57.9% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 57.7% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 57.5% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 57.3% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 63.2% | +10.3% |
| 2020 | 65.7% | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 67.6% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 55.2% | -18.3% |
| 2023 | 59.4% | +7.6% |
| 2024 | 59.5% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 59.6% | +0.2% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 59.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 51.4%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 59.6% is above the median for South Asia, which is 38.5%, 1.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.1% | 56.3% | 60.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.4% | 61.4% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.7% | 56.5% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.2% | 55.2% | 67.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 99 Rwanda 60.1% compare
- 100 Brunei Darussalam 59.8% compare
- 101 New Caledonia 59.7% compare
- 103 Dominican Republic 59.2% compare
- 104 Malawi 59.0% compare
- 105 Togo 57.9% compare
More work & labour data for Bhutan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6963 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7381 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.816 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9406 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 573.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 420.94 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 334.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 356.11 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 690.43 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Bhutan was 59.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 68.4% in 2009.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.2% in 2022.
- How does Bhutan rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Bhutan ranks 102nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.