Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 81.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 81.4% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.7% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 81.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 55.4%, in 1995.
That places United Arab Emirates 8th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 73.3% | — |
| 1980 | 75.2% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 55.4% | -26.4% |
| 2005 | 77.5% | +39.9% |
| 2008 | 72.6% | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 72.4% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 80.6% | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 80.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 81.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 80.2% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 80.4% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 76.8% | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 77.4% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 78.5% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 81.4% | +3.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 81.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.5%, 1.3× the median. (80 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 81.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 48.9%, 1.7× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +39.9% | 55.4% | 77.5% |
| 1995 | -26.4% | 75.2% | 55.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 73.3% | 73.3% | 73.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 75.2% | 75.2% | 75.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 55.4% | 55.4% | 55.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 74.1% | 72.4% | 77.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 80.6% | 80.2% | 81.0% | 4 |
| 2020s | 78.9% | 76.8% | 81.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 5 Faroe Islands 82.9% compare
- 6 Cayman Islands 82.8% compare
- 7 Nigeria 81.5% compare
- 9 Cambodia 80.0% compare
- 10 Niger 79.6% compare
- 11 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 79.6% compare
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Arab Emirates was 81.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 81.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.4% in 1995.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 8th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national 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.