Female employment rate in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Female employment rate was 49.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate in Papua New Guinea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment rate in Papua New Guinea stood at 49.8%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate in Papua New Guinea peaked at 49.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 46.3%, in 1994.
Papua New Guinea ranks 95th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Female employment rate in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 47.1% | — |
| 1992 | 46.8% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 46.4% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 46.3% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 46.5% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 46.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 46.5% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 46.8% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 46.8% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 47.1% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 47.2% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 47.4% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 47.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 47.5% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 47.4% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 47.4% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 47.3% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 47.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 47.3% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 47.1% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 47.4% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 47.6% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 47.8% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 48.0% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 48.2% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 48.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 49.0% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 48.7% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 49.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 49.8% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.6% | 46.3% | 47.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 47.3% | 47.1% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.0% | 47.1% | 49.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 48.7% | 49.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More work & labour data for Papua New Guinea
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0424 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0705 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4419 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,546 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,357 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,284 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 18,640 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate in Papua New Guinea?
- Female employment rate in Papua New Guinea was 49.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment rate recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.3% in 1994.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for female employment rate?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 95th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.