Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)
East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income): Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 72.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) stood at 72.4%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) peaked at 84.0% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 72.4%, in 2025.
That places East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
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+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 84.0% | — |
| 1991 | 83.7% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 83.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 83.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 82.7% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 82.4% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 82.0% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 81.6% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 81.2% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 80.8% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 80.4% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 80.4% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 80.2% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 79.9% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 79.9% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 79.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 79.3% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 79.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 79.0% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 78.8% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 78.7% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 78.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 78.3% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 77.8% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 77.5% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 77.1% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 76.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 75.9% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 75.1% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 73.5% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 74.0% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 73.5% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 72.7% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 72.4% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 82.5% | 80.8% | 84.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.7% | 78.8% | 80.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.1% | 75.1% | 78.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.3% | 72.4% | 74.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)
More work & labour data for East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 46.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 72.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 58.3% (2025)
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) 22.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) was 72.4% 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+) recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 84.0% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.4% in 2025.
- How does East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) ranks 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 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+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.