Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 65.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific stood at 65.2%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 74.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 65.2%, in 2025.
East Asia & Pacific ranks 10th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74.6% | — |
| 1991 | 74.3% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 74.0% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 73.6% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 73.4% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 73.1% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 72.8% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 72.4% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 72.0% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 71.6% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 71.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 71.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 70.7% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 70.4% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 70.2% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 69.9% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 69.7% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 69.7% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 69.5% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 69.2% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 69.0% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 69.1% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 68.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 68.0% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 67.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 67.3% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 67.2% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 67.0% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 65.5% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 66.2% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 65.8% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 66.0% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 65.4% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 65.2% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73.2% | 71.6% | 74.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.2% | 69.2% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.1% | 67.0% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.7% | 65.2% | 66.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 7 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 82.2% compare
- 8 Uganda 80.0% compare
- 9 Niger 79.7% compare
- 10 Mozambique 78.7% compare
- 11 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 78.6% compare
- 12 United Arab Emirates 78.6% compare
- 13 Eritrea 78.3% compare
More work & labour data for East Asia & Pacific
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 46.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 58.1% (2025)
- Contributing family workers, total (% of total employment) 8.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Asia & Pacific was 65.2% 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 15+) recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 74.6% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.2% in 2025.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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+) (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.