Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) was 17.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 17.6% for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka peaked at 46.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 17.3%, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 163rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 46.2% | — |
| 1991 | 41.4% | -10.4% |
| 1992 | 36.7% | -11.5% |
| 1993 | 39.4% | +7.3% |
| 1994 | 40.3% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 34.8% | -13.7% |
| 1996 | 33.8% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 33.3% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 41.5% | +24.9% |
| 1999 | 35.6% | -14.2% |
| 2000 | 30.9% | -13.3% |
| 2001 | 30.2% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 29.6% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 29.0% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 28.4% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 27.8% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 27.2% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 26.0% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 25.4% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 23.3% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 22.7% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 23.2% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 22.2% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 24.7% | +11.6% |
| 2016 | 22.9% | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 23.8% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 20.5% | -13.7% |
| 2019 | 21.5% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 19.4% | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | -9.3% |
| 2022 | 17.6% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 17.3% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 17.6% | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 17.6% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.3% | 33.3% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.1% | 25.4% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.0% | 20.5% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.9% | 17.3% | 19.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 160 Senegal 19.0% compare
- 161 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 18.7% compare
- 162 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18.4% compare
- 164 Saudi Arabia 16.6% compare
- 165 Puerto Rico 16.0% compare
- 166 India 15.9% compare
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5407 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5702 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,218 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,672 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 10,578 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 21,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in Sri Lanka was 17.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 46.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.3% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%)?
- Sri Lanka ranks 163rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.