Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 67.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka, 1963–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 67.4% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka peaked at 82.0% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 45.2%, in 1970.
Sri Lanka ranks 126th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 82.0% | — |
| 1970 | 45.2% | -44.9% |
| 1971 | 81.2% | +79.8% |
| 1981 | 52.4% | -35.5% |
| 1985 | 80.2% | +53.1% |
| 1986 | 79.4% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 77.9% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 76.4% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 76.2% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 76.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 74.8% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 75.6% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 75.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 76.8% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 77.5% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 75.7% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 66.2% | -12.5% |
| 2002 | 67.9% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 76.8% | +13.1% |
| 2004 | 74.8% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 75.8% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 67.8% | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 66.6% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 75.0% | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 74.0% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 75.0% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 72.7% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 72.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 74.6% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 75.0% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 72.9% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 72.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 71.8% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 71.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 70.5% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 67.4% | -1.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 67.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 71.3%, 95% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 67.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 75.2%, 90% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +79.8% | 45.2% | 81.2% |
| 1985 | +53.1% | 52.4% | 80.2% |
| 1970 | -44.9% | 82.0% | 45.2% |
| 1981 | -35.5% | 81.2% | 52.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 82.0% | 82.0% | 82.0% | 1 |
| 1970s | 63.2% | 45.2% | 81.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 70.7% | 52.4% | 80.2% | 3 |
| 1990s | 76.4% | 74.8% | 77.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 71.5% | 66.2% | 76.8% | 8 |
| 2010s | 73.9% | 72.4% | 75.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.8% | 67.4% | 71.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 123 United States of America 67.8% compare
- 124 Costa Rica 67.7% compare
- 125 Latvia 67.5% compare
- 127 Iran, Islamic Republic of 67.4% compare
- 128 Suriname 67.3% compare
- 129 Czechia 67.3% compare
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, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Sri Lanka was 67.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 82.0% in 1963.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.2% in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Sri Lanka ranks 126th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 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.