Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 52.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China is 52.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 55.3% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 36.8%, in 1961.
Hong Kong, China ranks 112th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.8% | — |
| 1966 | 41.0% | +11.4% |
| 1971 | 42.8% | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 46.9% | +9.6% |
| 1976 | 45.4% | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 44.1% | -2.9% |
| 1980 | 45.7% | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 47.1% | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 48.3% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 49.8% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 48.5% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 48.9% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 48.6% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 47.1% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 46.6% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 47.8% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 46.2% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 46.5% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 47.1% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 47.6% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 48.0% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 48.5% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 49.2% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 49.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 50.7% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 51.6% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 51.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 51.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 53.1% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 53.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 53.2% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 51.9% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 53.0% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 53.5% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 54.5% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 54.7% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 54.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.2% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 55.3% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 55.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 54.3% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 54.2% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 52.9% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 52.2% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 52.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 52.7% | +0.7% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 52.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 92% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 52.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.1%, 97% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38.9% | 36.8% | 41.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 44.8% | 42.8% | 46.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 48.1% | 45.7% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.5% | 46.2% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.9% | 49.1% | 53.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.2% | 51.9% | 55.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.1% | 52.2% | 54.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
More work & labour data for Hong Kong, China
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 2,981 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 55.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,663 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.78 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.06 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 149,185 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,833 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 53.6 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.56 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Hong Kong, China was 52.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 55.3% in 2018.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.8% in 1961.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 112th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national 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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.