Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives
Maldives: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 43.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives, 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 Maldives stood at 43.2%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives peaked at 43.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 20.2%, in 1990.
Maldives ranks 153rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.2% | — |
| 1991 | 21.6% | +7.4% |
| 1992 | 23.2% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 24.8% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 26.5% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 28.2% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 30.0% | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 31.8% | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 33.7% | +6.0% |
| 1999 | 35.7% | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 37.7% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 37.8% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 37.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 38.0% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 38.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 38.0% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 37.8% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 37.6% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 37.5% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 37.9% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 38.3% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 38.7% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 39.1% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 39.6% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 40.1% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 40.5% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 41.4% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 38.8% | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 39.7% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 42.1% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 42.4% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 42.7% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 43.2% | +1.0% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 43.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.9%, 77% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 43.2% is above the median for South Asia, which is 38.5%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.6% | 20.2% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.8% | 37.5% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 37.9% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.5% | 38.8% | 43.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More work & labour data for Maldives
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3002 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4913 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1384 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.545 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 310.55 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 265.89 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 257.6 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 217.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 474.92 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives was 43.2% 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 Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 43.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.2% in 1990.
- How does Maldives rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Maldives ranks 153rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Maldives 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.
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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.