Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 63.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Least developed countries, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 63.5% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Least developed countries peaked at 66.7% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 62.7%, in 2021.
Least developed countries ranks 15th of 47 groups on this measure, 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 15+) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.5% | — |
| 1991 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 66.6% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 66.7% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 66.7% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 66.7% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 66.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 66.6% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 66.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 66.5% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 66.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 66.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 66.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 66.0% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 65.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 65.9% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 64.6% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 64.0% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 63.6% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 63.5% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 63.2% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 62.8% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 62.7% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 63.0% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 64.0% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 63.6% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 63.5% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.6% | 66.5% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.4% | 66.0% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.4% | 63.2% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.3% | 62.7% | 64.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More work & labour data for Least developed countries
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 53.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 45.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 49.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 54.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 52.7% (2025)
- Contributing family workers, total (% of total employment) 19.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Least developed countries?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Least developed countries was 63.5% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 66.7% in 1998.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.7% in 2021.
- How does Least developed countries rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Least developed countries ranks 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.