Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) was 32.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka is 32.0%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka peaked at 59.4% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 32.0%, in 2025.
That places Sri Lanka 159th 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 for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58.5% | — |
| 1991 | 58.8% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 59.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 55.0% | -6.8% |
| 1994 | 59.4% | +8.0% |
| 1995 | 51.4% | -13.4% |
| 1996 | 53.9% | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 54.2% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 56.6% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 58.9% | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 55.9% | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 54.8% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 53.6% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 52.5% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 51.4% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 50.4% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 49.3% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 48.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 47.2% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 46.2% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 45.2% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 44.5% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 42.8% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 40.6% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 42.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 39.1% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 39.3% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 38.2% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 34.5% | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 32.5% | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 32.8% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 32.3% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 32.0% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.6% | 51.4% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 46.2% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 39.1% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.7% | 32.0% | 38.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
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, male (%) in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in Sri Lanka was 32.0% 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, male (%) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.0% in 2025.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%)?
- Sri Lanka ranks 159th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. 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, male (%) (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.