Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 72.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Timor-Leste, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Timor-Leste recorded 72.2% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Timor-Leste peaked at 77.5% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 71.3%, in 2020.
That places Timor-Leste 68th out of 187 countries 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 Timor-Leste, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 76.7% | — |
| 1991 | 76.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 76.5% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 76.4% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 76.4% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 76.2% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 76.1% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 76.3% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 77.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 74.9% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 74.4% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 74.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 75.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 74.9% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 74.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 75.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 74.7% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 74.2% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 73.7% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 73.2% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 73.0% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 72.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 72.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 72.5% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 72.4% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 72.3% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 72.6% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 72.7% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 71.9% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 71.3% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 71.7% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 71.9% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 72.0% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 72.2% | +0.3% |
Timor-Leste compared with similar countries
- Timor-Leste's 72.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 70.3%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Timor-Leste's 72.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 72.0%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.5% | 76.1% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.6% | 73.7% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.6% | 71.9% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.9% | 71.3% | 72.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Timor-Leste
- 65 Cyprus 72.7% compare
- 66 Iraq 72.6% compare
- 67 Philippines 72.5% compare
- 69 Republic of Moldova 72.2% compare
- 70 Palestine, State of 72.1% compare
- 71 Korea 72.0% compare
More work & labour data for Timor-Leste
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 321 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 67.53 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 667.78 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.77 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.22 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,687 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 3,450 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 66.34 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.18 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Timor-Leste?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Timor-Leste was 72.2% 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+) recorded in Timor-Leste?
- The highest recorded value was 77.5% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Timor-Leste?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.3% in 2020.
- How does Timor-Leste rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Timor-Leste ranks 68th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Timor-Leste?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Timor-Leste 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.