Female share of the labor force in Egypt

Egypt: Female share of the labor force was 20.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
20.6%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
175th
of 186 countries
All-time high
24.7%
in 2016
All-time low
17.5%
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Female share of the labor force in Egypt, 1990–2025

05101520251990200720251990: 23.8 %1991: 23.7 %1992: 24.3 %1993: 23.2 %1994: 23.6 %1995: 22.6 %1996: 22.2 %1997: 21.7 %1998: 21.3 %1999: 21.5 %2000: 21.9 %2001: 22.5 %2002: 20.9 %2003: 21.3 %2004: 21.7 %2005: 22.1 %2006: 22.5 %2007: 24.2 %2008: 22.9 %2009: 23.8 %2010: 23.4 %2011: 23 %2012: 23.1 %2013: 23.7 %2014: 24 %2015: 24.2 %2016: 24.7 %2017: 24.6 %2018: 21.2 %2019: 18.7 %2020: 17.5 %2021: 18.1 %2022: 17.7 %2023: 20.6 %2024: 20.6 %2025: 20.6 %

Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2025, female share of the labor force in Egypt stood at 20.6%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Egypt peaked at 24.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 2020.

That places Egypt 175th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Female share of the labor force in Egypt, year by year

Annual values for Female share of the labor force in Egypt, 1990 to 2025.
Year % Change
1990 23.8%
1991 23.7% -0.5%
1992 24.3% +2.5%
1993 23.2% -4.5%
1994 23.6% +1.5%
1995 22.6% -4.0%
1996 22.2% -1.9%
1997 21.7% -1.9%
1998 21.3% -2.0%
1999 21.5% +0.7%
2000 21.9% +2.2%
2001 22.5% +2.5%
2002 20.9% -7.0%
2003 21.3% +1.8%
2004 21.7% +1.8%
2005 22.1% +1.8%
2006 22.5% +1.8%
2007 24.2% +7.6%
2008 22.9% -5.3%
2009 23.8% +4.0%
2010 23.4% -1.7%
2011 23.0% -1.6%
2012 23.1% +0.5%
2013 23.7% +2.3%
2014 24.0% +1.4%
2015 24.2% +0.9%
2016 24.7% +1.9%
2017 24.6% -0.2%
2018 21.2% -13.8%
2019 18.7% -11.6%
2020 17.5% -6.6%
2021 18.1% +3.3%
2022 17.7% -2.0%
2023 20.6% +16.3%
2024 20.6% +0.1%
2025 20.6% -0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 22.8% 21.3% 24.3% 10
2000s 22.4% 20.9% 24.2% 10
2010s 23.1% 18.7% 24.7% 10
2020s 19.2% 17.5% 20.6% 6

Countries ranked near Egypt

  1. 172 Morocco 22.4% compare
  2. 173 Palestine, State of 21.5% compare
  3. 174 Bahrain 21.3% compare
  4. 176 Sudan 19.7% compare
  5. 177 Jordan 19.3% compare
  6. 178 Saudi Arabia 18.9% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Egypt

All data for Egypt →

Frequently asked questions

What is female share of the labor force in Egypt?
Female share of the labor force in Egypt was 20.6% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in Egypt?
The highest recorded value was 24.7% in 2016.
What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Egypt?
The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 2020.
How does Egypt rank for female share of the labor force?
Egypt ranks 175th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Egypt?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Egypt data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Female share of the labor force in Egypt. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-labor-force-who-are-women/egypt-arab-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Female share of the labor force
Unit
%
Source
International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.