Labor force participation rate in New Caledonia
New Caledonia: Labor force participation rate was 56.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in New Caledonia, 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 New Caledonia is 56.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in New Caledonia peaked at 65.5% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 56.4%, in 2025.
New Caledonia ranks 131st 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 New Caledonia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.7% | — |
| 1991 | 64.8% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 64.9% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 65.0% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 65.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 65.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 65.4% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 65.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 65.4% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 65.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 65.1% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 65.0% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 64.9% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 64.7% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 64.6% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 64.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.5% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 64.3% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 64.3% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 64.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 64.2% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 64.1% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 63.9% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 62.7% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 58.9% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 57.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 57.7% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 57.4% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 57.6% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 57.2% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 56.9% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 56.4% | -0.8% |
New Caledonia compared with similar countries
- New Caledonia's 56.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 91% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- New Caledonia's 56.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 88% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.2% | 64.7% | 65.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.8% | 64.3% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.2% | 57.6% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.2% | 56.4% | 57.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Caledonia
More work & labour data for New Caledonia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1927 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.171 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.7129 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9545 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 306.2 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 71.31 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 167.3 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 169.93 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 337.22 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in New Caledonia?
- Labor force participation rate in New Caledonia was 56.4% 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 New Caledonia?
- The highest recorded value was 65.5% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in New Caledonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.4% in 2025.
- How does New Caledonia rank for labor force participation rate?
- New Caledonia ranks 131st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in New Caledonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Caledonia 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).