Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World
World: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 67.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World stood at 67.4%.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World peaked at 70.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 65.4%, in 2020.
That places World 26th 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, total (% of total population ages) in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 70.1% | — |
| 1991 | 70.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 69.9% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 69.7% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 69.7% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 69.6% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 69.5% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 69.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 69.3% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 69.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 69.2% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 69.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 68.9% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 68.8% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 68.7% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 68.7% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 68.5% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 68.3% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.1% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 67.8% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 67.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 67.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 67.1% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 66.9% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 66.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 66.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 66.8% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 66.7% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 65.4% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 66.3% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 66.7% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 67.4% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 67.4% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 67.4% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.7% | 69.3% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.6% | 67.8% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.0% | 66.7% | 67.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.8% | 65.4% | 67.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
More work & labour data for World
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1316 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1143 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.688 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6.68 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3.09 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5.10 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5.08 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 10.18 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in World was 67.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 70.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.4% in 2020.
- How does World rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- World ranks 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total 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.