Labor force participation rate in Suriname
Suriname: Labor force participation rate was 53.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
53.8%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
144th
of 186 countries
All-time high
56.3%
in 2019
All-time low
46.6%
in 1999
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Suriname, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Suriname recorded 53.8% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Suriname peaked at 56.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 46.6%, in 1999.
Suriname ranks 144th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Suriname, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48.2% | — |
| 1991 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 48.2% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 48.0% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 48.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 47.6% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 47.3% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 47.0% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 46.6% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 47.2% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 47.7% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 48.3% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 48.9% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 49.4% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 50.0% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 50.5% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 51.1% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 51.7% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 52.2% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 52.8% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 53.3% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 53.9% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 55.6% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 56.1% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 56.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 52.7% | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 53.2% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 53.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 53.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 53.8% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 53.8% | -0.0% |
Suriname compared with similar countries
- Suriname's 53.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 89% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Suriname's 53.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 63.1%, 85% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47.7% | 46.6% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.7% | 47.2% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.0% | 52.8% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.4% | 52.7% | 53.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Suriname
- 141 Turkey 54.4% compare
- 142 United States Virgin Islands 54.4% compare
- 143 Belgium 54.3% compare
- 145 Sierra Leone 53.4% compare
- 146 Guinea 52.6% compare
- 147 French Polynesia 52.4% compare
More work & labour data for Suriname
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3451 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3213 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4854 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 480.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 168.36 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 358.14 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 350.87 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 709 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Suriname?
- Labor force participation rate in Suriname was 53.8% 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 Suriname?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Suriname?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.6% in 1999.
- How does Suriname rank for labor force participation rate?
- Suriname ranks 144th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Suriname?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Suriname 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).