Labor force participation rate in Bahrain
Bahrain: Labor force participation rate was 70.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Bahrain, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bahrain recorded 70.4% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Bahrain peaked at 72.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 64.9%, in 2004.
Bahrain ranks 26th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.7% | — |
| 1991 | 66.4% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 66.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 66.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 65.7% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 65.4% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 65.2% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 65.1% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 65.2% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 65.3% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 65.5% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 65.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 65.2% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 65.0% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 64.9% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 66.7% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 68.0% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 69.3% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 70.7% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 71.6% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 71.5% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 71.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 71.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 72.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 72.4% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 72.1% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 71.4% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 69.2% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 68.9% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 70.3% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 70.7% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 70.6% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 70.4% | -0.2% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's 70.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's 70.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.0%, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.7% | 65.1% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.7% | 64.9% | 70.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.6% | 71.2% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.0% | 68.9% | 70.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
More work & labour data for Bahrain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6429 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5388 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.7788 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5428 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 2,169 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 158.19 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,342 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,748 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,090 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Bahrain?
- Labor force participation rate in Bahrain was 70.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was 72.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.9% in 2004.
- How does Bahrain rank for labor force participation rate?
- Bahrain ranks 26th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Bahrain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bahrain data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).