Female share of the labor force in Italy
Italy: Female share of the labor force was 42.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in Italy, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female share of the labor force in Italy is 42.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Italy peaked at 42.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 1993.
That places Italy 119th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.3% | — |
| 1991 | 36.6% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 36.3% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 36.1% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 36.4% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.8% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 37.2% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 37.7% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 38.3% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 38.5% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 39.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 39.2% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 39.4% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 40.1% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 40.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 40.3% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 40.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 40.8% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 40.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 41.4% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 42.0% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 42.2% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 42.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 42.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 42.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 42.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 42.3% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 42.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 42.6% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 42.6% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.9% | 36.1% | 38.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.9% | 38.5% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 41.1% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.5% | 42.3% | 42.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 116 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 42.8% compare
- 117 Comoros 42.7% compare
- 118 North Macedonia 42.7% compare
- 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 42.4% compare
- 121 El Salvador 42.4% compare
- 122 Romania 42.4% compare
More work & labour data for Italy
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.6708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6794 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.662 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,671 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,422 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,512 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 17,865 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 35,377 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female share of the labor force in Italy?
- Female share of the labor force in Italy was 42.6% 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 1993.
- How does Italy rank for female share of the labor force?
- Italy ranks 119th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.