Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives
Maldives: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 40.7% 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 40.7%.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Maldives peaked at 40.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 19.9%, in 1990.
Maldives ranks 150th 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 | 19.9% | — |
| 1991 | 21.3% | +7.3% |
| 1992 | 22.9% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 24.4% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 26.1% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 27.7% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 29.5% | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 31.3% | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 33.2% | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 35.1% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 37.0% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 37.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 37.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 37.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 37.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 37.0% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 36.7% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 36.5% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 36.3% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 36.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 37.4% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 37.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 38.2% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 38.6% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 39.8% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 40.4% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 40.8% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 37.1% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 38.0% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 40.2% | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 40.5% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 40.7% | +0.7% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 40.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 51.1%, 80% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 40.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 35.5%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.1% | 19.9% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.9% | 36.3% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.5% | 36.6% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.5% | 37.1% | 40.7% | 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 40.7% 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 40.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.9% in 1990.
- How does Maldives rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Maldives ranks 150th 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 5.6%. 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.