Labor force participation rate in Colombia
Colombia: Labor force participation rate was 63.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Colombia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Colombia stood at 63.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Colombia peaked at 68.3% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 63.2%, in 2022.
That places Colombia 81st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Colombia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.7% | — |
| 1991 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 67.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 67.3% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 67.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 68.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 68.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 68.3% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 68.2% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 67.5% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 67.6% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 67.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 66.6% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 67.4% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 66.7% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 65.3% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 64.6% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 63.9% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 64.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 67.0% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 67.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 67.5% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 68.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 67.3% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 67.0% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 67.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 66.4% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 66.0% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 65.2% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 64.3% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 63.4% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 64.3% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 63.7% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 63.5% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 63.4% | -0.2% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 63.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 63.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 63.1%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 67.6% | 66.7% | 68.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.1% | 63.9% | 67.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.6% | 64.3% | 68.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.6% | 63.2% | 64.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More work & labour data for Colombia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6981 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7453 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1417 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 48,629 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 6,104 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 23,624 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 23,456 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 47,081 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Colombia?
- Labor force participation rate in Colombia was 63.4% 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 68.3% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.2% in 2022.
- How does Colombia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Colombia ranks 81st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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).