Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia
South Asia: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) was 81.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
South Asia recorded 81.2% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia peaked at 86.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 79.0%, in 2020.
South Asia ranks 1st of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 85.9% | — |
| 1991 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 86.1% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 86.3% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 86.3% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 86.0% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 85.7% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 85.4% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 85.0% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 84.7% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 84.3% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 83.7% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 83.1% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 82.5% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 81.9% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 81.5% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 81.2% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 81.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 80.8% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 80.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 80.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 80.1% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 79.8% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 79.0% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 79.4% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 80.0% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 80.6% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 81.1% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 81.2% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 85.9% | 85.8% | 86.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.7% | 82.5% | 86.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.8% | 79.8% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.3% | 79.0% | 81.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 1 Qatar 96.3% compare
- 2 United Arab Emirates 92.3% compare
- 3 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 91.2% compare
- 4 Iceland 90.8% compare
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
- Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) 26.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in South Asia was 81.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 86.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.0% in 2020.
- How does South Asia rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64)?
- South Asia ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO 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 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.