Labor force participation rate in Bhutan
Bhutan: Labor force participation rate was 64.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Bhutan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Bhutan is 64.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Bhutan peaked at 70.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 62.6%, in 2018.
Bhutan ranks 64th of 186 countries 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 in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 70.6% | — |
| 1991 | 70.5% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 70.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 70.2% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 70.2% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 70.2% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 70.1% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 70.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 69.9% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 69.7% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 69.6% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 69.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 69.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 69.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 69.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 69.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 69.7% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 69.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 68.2% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 62.6% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 63.1% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 63.0% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 62.8% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 62.6% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 66.4% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 67.8% | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 69.1% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 63.1% | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 65.0% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 64.9% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 64.8% | -0.1% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 64.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 64.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 57.2%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.3% | 70.0% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.6% | 69.5% | 69.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.6% | 62.6% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.8% | 63.1% | 69.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More work & labour data for Bhutan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6963 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7381 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.816 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9406 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 573.27 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 420.94 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 334.32 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 356.11 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 690.43 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Bhutan?
- Labor force participation rate in Bhutan was 64.8% 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 70.6% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.6% in 2018.
- How does Bhutan rank for labor force participation rate?
- Bhutan ranks 64th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).