Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain
Spain: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 57.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain, 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 Spain stood at 57.4%.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain peaked at 59.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 49.7%, in 1991.
Spain ranks 125th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 49.9% | — |
| 1991 | 49.7% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 49.8% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 49.9% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 50.1% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 50.9% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 51.2% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 51.8% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 52.9% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 52.1% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 53.7% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 54.8% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 55.7% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 56.9% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 57.8% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 58.3% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 59.1% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 59.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 59.4% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 59.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 59.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 59.1% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 58.7% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 58.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 58.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 58.0% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 57.6% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 57.6% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 56.4% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 57.3% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 57.6% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 57.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 57.8% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 57.4% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50.4% | 49.7% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.1% | 52.1% | 59.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.6% | 57.6% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.3% | 56.4% | 57.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 122 Costa Rica 57.7% compare
- 123 Slovenia 57.6% compare
- 124 Uzbekistan 57.5% compare
- 126 Kyrgyzstan 57.4% compare
- 127 Fiji 57.2% compare
- 128 Lesotho 57.1% compare
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain was 57.4% 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 15+) recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.7% in 1991.
- How does Spain rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Spain ranks 125th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 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.