Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt

Egypt: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 18.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
18.5%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
179th
of 187 countries
All-time high
23.3%
in 2007
All-time low
14.6%
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt, 1990–2025

05101520251990200720251990: 22.21991: 22.21992: 231993: 22.31994: 23.11995: 21.81996: 21.11997: 20.41998: 19.71999: 20.52000: 20.42001: 20.32002: 18.22003: 18.92004: 19.72005: 20.52006: 21.32007: 23.32008: 21.92009: 22.92010: 23.22011: 22.52012: 22.52013: 232014: 23.22015: 22.82016: 23.12017: 22.22018: 18.42019: 15.92020: 14.62021: 15.62022: 15.22023: 18.52024: 18.52025: 18.5

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2025, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt stood at 18.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 19.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt peaked at 23.3% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 2020.

That places Egypt 179th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) in Egypt, 1990 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1990 22.2%
1991 22.2% -0.1%
1992 23.0% +3.7%
1993 22.3% -3.0%
1994 23.1% +3.7%
1995 21.8% -5.9%
1996 21.1% -3.2%
1997 20.4% -3.2%
1998 19.7% -3.3%
1999 20.5% +4.1%
2000 20.4% -0.5%
2001 20.3% -0.3%
2002 18.2% -10.6%
2003 18.9% +4.0%
2004 19.7% +4.0%
2005 20.5% +3.9%
2006 21.3% +3.9%
2007 23.3% +9.7%
2008 21.9% -6.1%
2009 22.9% +4.7%
2010 23.2% +1.2%
2011 22.5% -2.8%
2012 22.5% -0.1%
2013 23.0% +2.2%
2014 23.2% +0.7%
2015 22.8% -1.5%
2016 23.1% +1.1%
2017 22.2% -3.8%
2018 18.4% -17.0%
2019 15.9% -13.9%
2020 14.6% -7.9%
2021 15.6% +6.7%
2022 15.2% -2.3%
2023 18.5% +21.3%
2024 18.5% -0.1%
2025 18.5% -0.1%

Egypt compared with similar countries

  • Egypt's 18.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.7%, 37% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Egypt's 18.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.2%, 83% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 21.6% 19.7% 23.1% 10
2000s 20.7% 18.2% 23.3% 10
2010s 21.7% 15.9% 23.2% 10
2020s 16.8% 14.6% 18.5% 6

Countries ranked near Egypt

  1. 176 Morocco 19.7% compare
  2. 177 Djibouti 19.4% compare
  3. 178 Palestine, State of 18.9% compare
  4. 180 Jordan 16.0% compare
  5. 181 Sudan 14.5% compare
  6. 182 Algeria 14.1% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More work & labour data for Egypt

All data for Egypt →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt?
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt was 18.5% 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 Egypt?
The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2007.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Egypt?
The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 2020.
How does Egypt rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
Egypt ranks 179th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Egypt?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Egypt 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Egypt. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-female-percent-of-female-population-ages-15-modeled-ilo/egypt-arab-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 8,446 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.