Labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force participation rate was 48.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka is 48.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka peaked at 61.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 47.4%, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 162nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 61.5% | — |
| 1991 | 59.1% | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 56.6% | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 56.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 57.0% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 54.9% | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 55.4% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 55.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 58.8% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 57.3% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 55.6% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 55.3% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 55.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 54.9% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 54.7% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 54.4% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 54.2% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 54.0% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 53.8% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 53.5% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 53.3% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 52.9% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 52.6% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 52.1% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 51.6% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 53.7% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 54.0% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 51.7% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 52.2% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 50.5% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 49.8% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 49.7% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 47.4% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 48.6% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 48.5% | -0.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 48.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 80% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 48.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 57.2%, 85% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.3% | 54.9% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.5% | 53.5% | 55.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.8% | 51.6% | 54.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.1% | 47.4% | 50.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5407 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5702 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,218 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,672 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 10,578 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 21,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force participation rate in Sri Lanka was 48.5% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 61.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.4% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force participation rate?
- Sri Lanka ranks 162nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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).