Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in East Timor
East Timor: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ was 67.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Timor, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Timor is 67.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Timor peaked at 72.7% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 65.9%, in 2020.
East Timor ranks 46th of 187 countries 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) … 15+ in East Timor, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 71.9% | — |
| 1991 | 71.7% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 71.6% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 71.4% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 71.4% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 71.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 71.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 71.0% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 71.2% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 72.7% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 69.7% | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 69.2% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 69.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 69.6% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 69.4% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 69.7% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 69.2% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 68.7% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 68.1% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 67.7% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 67.3% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 67.2% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 67.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 66.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 66.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 67.1% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 67.2% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 66.5% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 65.9% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 66.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 66.8% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 67.0% | +0.3% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 67.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 67.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.5% | 71.0% | 72.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.3% | 68.1% | 69.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.1% | 66.5% | 67.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.5% | 65.9% | 67.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
- 43 Netherlands 67.2% compare
- 44 Cote d'Ivoire 67.1% compare
- 45 Mali 67.0% compare
- 47 Cyprus 67.0% compare
- 48 Switzerland 66.7% compare
- 49 Thailand 66.7% compare
More work & labour data for East Timor
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 321 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 67.53 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 667.78 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.77 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.22 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,687 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 3,450 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 66.34 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.18 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Timor?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in East Timor was 67.0% 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 Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 72.7% in 1999.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.9% in 2020.
- How does East Timor rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- East Timor ranks 46th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Timor 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.