Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 65.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia is 65.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 71.0% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 65.5%, in 2020.
That places Europe & Central Asia 44th out of 47 groups 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, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 71.0% | — |
| 1991 | 70.8% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 70.3% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 69.5% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 68.9% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 68.5% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 68.1% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 67.7% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 67.3% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 67.6% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 67.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 66.7% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 66.5% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 66.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 66.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 66.6% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 66.3% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 66.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 66.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 66.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 66.4% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 66.4% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 66.6% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 66.7% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 66.5% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 65.5% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 65.9% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 66.4% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 66.3% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 65.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.0% | 67.3% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.5% | 66.2% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.5% | 66.4% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.1% | 65.5% | 66.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 41 South Sudan 76.6% compare
- 42 Fiji 76.5% compare
- 43 Maldives 76.4% compare
- 44 Dominican Republic 76.4% compare
- 45 Jamaica 76.3% compare
- 46 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 76.3% compare
- 47 Burkina Faso 76.1% compare
More work & labour data for Europe & Central Asia
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 58.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 35.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 44.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 72.8% (2025)
- Contributing family workers, male (% of male employment) 1.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Europe & Central Asia was 65.9% 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 Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 71.0% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.5% in 2020.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.